Let the games succeed.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Greeks won't be the only ones with their fingers crossed at today's opening ceremonies for the Summer Olympic Games. If Greece can't stage a successful Olympiad - and success will be measured in several ways - other nations that are neither big nor rich will be less willing to host the games. The Olympics belong to the entire world, and part of their international character depends on what happens over the next XVII days.

Greece's problems in preparing for the 28th Olympiad have been recounted ever since 1997, when Athens won the competition to act as host. Athens was then one of Europe's most congested and polluted capitals. Preparations were slow to get under way; just four years ago, the head of the International Olympic Committee warned that the games might have to be moved somewhere else.

Then came the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, which created demands for tighter - and more expensive - security, while also putting a dent in the volume of international travel. The projected $5.5 billion budget for the Olympics began to creep upward, and may eventually total twice the initial estimate. The advent of the euro gave Greece a strong currency, making a trip to the Olympics relatively more expensive for American tourists.

But on opening day, Greece seems miraculously ready. It has spent lavishly to improve its sports venues or build new ones. Ancient monuments have been scrubbed clean, and new public transportation systems have been inaugurated.

Greece will spend an estimated $1.2 billion on security, with guards far outnumbering athletes. Ticket sales have been disappointing, with only half of the 5.3 million tickets sold as of Wednesday, but there are reports of a last-minute surge in sales. Greek officials now expect the games and the attendant investments to yield lasting dividends for the tourist industry, which already accounts for 18 percent of Greece's gross domestic product.

Against expectations, then, there's a possibility that the Athens Olympics will pencil out economically. A positive final accounting would help maintain a wide pool of bidders for future games - cities in Latin America, Asia and Africa would not be priced out of the competition. Other countries would see that it's possible to use the games as a spur for investments that most urban areas need anyway.

Economic success won't be enough. Athens must also stage an Olympiad that will be safe for athletes and spectators alike. In the post-Sept. 11 age, any host city's ability to provide effective security will be a key qualification. The Greek hosts must also show an ability to stage a massive and complex event efficiently - without all these things, only a dozen or so of the world's major cities will be bidders for future games.

But now, it's time to enjoy the spectacle of competition among 10,500 of the best athletes from more than 200 countries. Despite the commercial hype, the doping scandals and the intrusion of chest-thumping nationalism, the ideal that the Olympic Games represent persists. Athletes from China and East Timor, from South Africa and North Korea, from Iraq and Afghanistan, will compete on an equal footing, with performance being the only gauge.

May the fastest, strongest and best win. And may Greece be among the winners.