Is there really a boycott of the Olympic Games?

[KurtNYC]

The crowds are beyond thin. More like other athletes sitting in the stands and little else. Really looks pathetic but I haven't heard much explanation for it -- at least none that makes sense.

If it is a boycott, there should be some evidence that people urged each other not to attend but I have yet to find it.

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3354975

[Kellanved]

1. No

At Sydney many tickets for less "interesting" events were given away for free.
Also there were some events rescheduled with nobody really knowing when they actually would take place.
Also the weather seems to be a problem: for many people it's too hot during the daytime open-air events.

[MercutioATC]

2. I believe they're attributing low attendance to the threat of terrorism

and doubts many people had that Athens would have things ready in time.

[Ducks In A Row]

8. that's as good an excuse as any.

[readmylips]

3. Heard on TV from Greek man....

who said, Olympics loaded with junk sports of no interest to Greeks. If Greeks invented the Olympics, that may be one of the problems. That opening show creeped me out. I haven't watched any of it but did see on TV stadiums that hold thousands of people, only two people were sitting in the audience...and that was for Tennis with one of the Williams sisters.

[Paragon]

4. Many fans priced out of tickets close to the action

...which is why the crowds at the gymnastic events look so sparse.

It's being corrected, I hear - so you should start to see the crowds come down from the upper levels where they've been seated so far.

[histohoney]

5. Summer holidays

for Greece are in August. Many out of country.

[KurtNYC]

6. Speculation from Dem dot com

Are the Olympics Being Boycotted to Protest the US? Probably!
Why won't ANYONE point out the big fat elephant in the Athens "living room"? Namely, the tens of thousands of empty seats at the Olympics that represent, most likely, a boycott of the games. Despite Bob Costas' jingoistic coverage (the way NBC presents it, there are no other athletes competing or winning but Americans, with a few "furriners" thrown in for effect), Americans are VERY unpopular in Europe right now. In this article it suggests the empty seats are because Greeks are "unfamiliar" with many of the sports. Yet that didn't stop the stadiums from being filled in Seoul or Mexico City, which could more legitimately offer this excuse. But then, the US didn't turn those game sites into military compounds! Time to stop making excuses and deal with our sadly tarnished image and the Bush hatred that is now hurting everyone, including our athletes.

But I have seen nothing else on it.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. Then following your premise, it would be financial nightmare for the

Olympics Committee to select New York City to host the games in 2012. Talk about an obvious reason to stay home and watch on television . . .