A I LANTA. Georgia Apr 3 The 1996 Summer Olympic* au about sports manship, spon* ■— or ship and southe rn hospitality but at Just over i(» la \s before the Game*, organisers are still at a loss to define a central linage for the Games, reports AFP

in this city of Coca-Cola and Martin Luther King, economic boom and the flgnt for civil rights the Games will lie ihe biggest the world has ever seen according the Bill Pay ne chairman of the Olyinpir Organising Committee

Some 10,700 athletes Irom 197 countries will converge here for the august Games along with 15.000 journalists and 42 500 volunteers And so far the Olympics have gener ated some 5 1 billion dollars for the southern state of Georgia

But some critics say the Games have been sold off io corporate sponsors and have dubbed them the "Cocalym-pics." in reference to the 40 million dollars paid by the Coca-Cola company to sponsor the Games in its home town

But organisers now have launched a campaign logo lx-yond the idea of sheer numbers and return to the spirit ol the Games

"Do not let the purpose of the Games get tost in the bust ness of the Games," Payne said at a press conference Tuesday

In the past six years the Atlanta Games were "mostly covered from the perspective, sometime! even the obsession on what the Games will do for us." he said

Prestige and financial benefits were not the reason why we originally fought to host the Games' he said

"The Olympic Games are about the potential of unifying

Ilie world through spoils.

Payne added

Don Ml sc her producer of the opening ceremony admits that hi* Biggest problem has Iwcn to define the Image of Atlanta a city that some define as a growing economic centre and others as a symbol of the south

Mlscher spent two years trying to define the Image struggling between conflicting stereotypes of the old south' as deputed in Margaret Mitchells Gone With the Wind and the New south' where Atlanta Is the epicentre of booming economic growth

He wisely chose to Highlight the beauty ol the south to tne rhythm of jazz blues and gospel music. and have Atlanta show of its nationally famous hospitality

Left out of the Olympic Im age are racial Issues that are centra! to the mostly black city birthplace of Martin Luther King.

To be able to host the 1996 Games Atlanta had to pul for ward a unified racial front and the race issue Inspired the slogan come and celebrate our dream" a clear reference to Kings famous phrase "I have dream "

But the slogan will not pre vent the hundreds of thousands of tourists that will at tend the Game* from noting the contraata of Atlanta s futur istlc skyscrapers and the poverty stricken residents who , live scraping the bottom of the 1 barrel

Of course we still have 1 problems said Atlanta mayor ' Bill Campbell "We still have poverty and the world will see it "

But he said the Games are ' a great honour" for the city ' and criticised the "cynicism" : of critics of the multimillion dollar sponsorships

That does not mean the I Games have tost their soul, he i said "you’D see"