'The Games Will Go On'

ATLANTA: The splendor and celebration of the Olympics came to an abrupt halt shortly after 1 a.m. Saturday when the first terrorist attack since the 1972 games struck at the heart of the games. Two people died and more than 100 were injured when a bomb exploded at Centennial Olympic Park. As in Munich, when the Olympics continued even after terrorists killed 11 Israeli athletes and coaches, officials in Atlanta said they would not halt the games. "The games will go on," said Francois Carrard, director general of the International Olympic Committee. And so they did, beginning with a moment of silence and the lowering of flags to half-staff at all venues. The bombing was the main topic of conversation among athletes and fans as the games resumed this morning. "I feel bad for the people who were killed, and I feel bad for the people who were injured," said Charles Barkley, who is staying with other Dream Team players at a hotel about a block from the blast. "It's something we thought about coming into the Olympics, but it's not something we thought would happen. I just feel bad for all the families involved." Barkley fully supported the plan to move on with the games. "To let whoever did this get away with this and cancel the games, that would be absurd," he said. Only about 20,000 people were in the stands for the track competition at Olympic Stadium this morning compared to more than 80,000 on Friday, but officials speculated that it was the steady rain, not sudden fear, that kept people away. Fans at the first day of whitewater slalom competition were delayed more than two hours as officials increased security at the venues. During the beach volleyball competition, officials roving the aisles spotted an unattended bag in the upper level of the stand, and rapidly cleared about 100 people from the area. The match continued as authorities gathered around the bag, but about a minute later someone returned to claim it and fans were allowed back to their seats. -->