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Going Back to Its Birthplace No sporting event takes hold of the worldS attention and imagination like the Olympic Games The football world Cup fascinates fans in Europe and South America;baseballs World Series is required viewing in North America;and the world table Tennis Championships attracts the most interest in Asia. But the Olympics belong to the whole world.Now，after travelling to 17 countries over 108 years，the summer Games are returning to Athens，the place where the first modern Olympics was held. Participation in the Games is looked on not only as an achievement，but also as an honour,The 16 days between August 13 and 29 will see a record 202 countries compete，up from Sydneys 199. Afghanistan is back，having been banned from Sydney because the Taliban government didnt let women do sports.There is also a place for newcomers East Timer and Kiribati. A total of 10.500 athletes will compete in 28 sports，watched by 5 3 million ticket-paying viewers as well as a television audience of 4 billion. Athens is to use its rich history and culture to make the Olympics as special as possible.The Games will open with cycling events which start in front of the Parthenon and Acropolis monuments.The final event will be a historic mens marathon following the 0rjgihal route lun by Phidippides in 490 BC to bring news of victory over the Persians. | 
