A Kennedy School of Government (KSG) advisor was the central figure in securing Athens'bid for the 2004 Olympic Games and may become the country's central organizer of an Olympics.

Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki became the first woman ever to lead a successful Olympic bid when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided Friday that Athens would host the games over rival Rome. She may also be the first woman organizer of the games.

Angelopoulos-Daskalaki is the vice chair of the KSG's Dean's Council, a 40-member group of prominent international figures appointed by KSG Dean Joseph S. Nye to advise him on international issues. The council meets twice yearly and has representatives from 14 different countries. Angelopoulos-Daskalaki was recruited to join the council two-and-a-half years ago.

Canadian IOC member Dick Pound told The Crimson yesterday that Angelopoulos-Daskalaki's leadership was central in bringing the games to Athens, which had failed in its bid for the centennial Olympics in 1996.

"The management of the bid by Gianna I thought was superb," Pound said.

In its bid for the 1996 games, Athens was criticized for campaigning exclusively on its birthright-the first modern Olympics were held in Athens in 1896.

This time around, pragmatic issues led the way. Angelopoulos-Daskalaki's bid focused on fixing the high pollution, lack of infrastructure and insufficient facilities that doomed its previous attempt.

"[Angelopoulos-Daskalaki] tackled the problems head on and had an answer for everyone," Pound said. "She got them off their high horse of saying that the IOC owes Greece....She exerted a real discipline over the whole process."

By setting aside nearly $7 billion for public work projects, Greece helped assuage IOC concerns about pollution and traffic.

Construction of new sporting facilities and a new subway system began several years ago. An airport will also be built before the time of the games.

Currently, 62 percent of the underground metro has been completed, and 72 percent of sporting facilities are already in place, according to Marton Simitsek, head of operations for the bid committee.

When reached in Greece yesterday, Simitsek said that Angelopoulos-Daskalaki's leadership had been essential for the committee and the country.

"She led the way to the games," Simitsek said. "The Olympic games are what we learn in school and society, it is something that practically makes a way of life."

Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, who was born in Crete, has been asked by the Athens mayor and Greece's minister of foreign affairs to accept the position of organizer for the 2004 Olympics. Thus far, she has said that she wants to continue participating in the Olympic process but has not given a definite indication of whether she will take the job.

"As a lawyer I have to be stuck in law," Angelopoulos-Daskalaki told the Associated Press Saturday in response to questions about her plans. "For the moment, it's not the bidding committee, it's not the organizing committee-it's just in between."

IOC rules give Greece six months to decide on the structure and president of its organizing committee.

Reached in Greece late last night, bid committee spokesperson Sophie Papioalnou said that Angelopoulos-Daskalaki was unsure of her future plans and would soon take a short respite to think over her options. While she said that Angelopoulos-Daskalaki was likely to stay involved in the Olympics in a "management role," Popioalnou emphasized that there were various forms her job could take.

Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, who could not comment by press time last night, held a strong hand throughout the bidding process, according to several sources.

"She completely dominated the whole bidding committee," Pound said. "They didn't do or say anything without her signing off on it."

Her success lay largely in her ability to unify the bid within the country and keep it out of the hands of the often factional Greek government, Simitsek said.

This form of strong leadership mixed with her international prominence made her an attractive candidate for the Dean's Council, Nye said in an interview Monday.

"She has an extraordinary background both as a politician and as a successful international figure," Nye said.

Holly Sargent, associate dean for external affairs at the Kennedy School, said that Angelopoulos-Daskalaki-who was a member of the Greek Parliament-has demonstrated her ability to hold her own in a field largely populated by men.

"[We were] interested in having a distinguished woman world leader, particularly since the Dean's Council was largely male," Sargent said.

Nye said that he had not yet spoken to Angelopoulos-Daskalaki and was unsure whether future commitments might preclude her from her role as vice chair. But he added that he would like to bring her to Cambridge to conduct workshops or speak at the ARCO Forum when she becomes available.

"She is exactly the kind of woman we would like to expose our students to," Nye said.ReutersTHEY'RE BACK: GIANNA ANGELOPOULOS-DASKALAKI celebrates the return of the Olympics to Greece in 2004.