IAAF president Primo Nebiolo attacked Athens yesterday for not promoting the World Championships sufficiently after the stadium was only half full for Sunday's 100 metres finals, the event's biggest night. As Athens enters the final weeks of its campaign to host the 2004 Olympics, television pictures showing thousands of empty seats were broadcast around the world while American Maurice Greene was winning an exciting battle with Donovan Bailey for the men's 100 title.

While Athens's old Olympic stadium was packed for Friday's opening ceremony, the sight of real runners at the two opening days at the weekend has not had the same local appeal. "There has maybe not been a great campaign of promotion," said Nebiolo, who is backing Rome's rival bid for the 2004 Games.

"When we came around three weeks ago we understood that the promotion campaign was not being made. We tried to do it differently with the newspapers and TV. Maybe because it was Saturday people in Athens go to the sea. I hope for the next few days that they will not go to the sea. They have the sea all year. They can forget the sea for one week."

Nebiolo is in a difficult position diplomatically at these championships since Athens and Rome are regarded as being the two favourites to win the IOC vote to host the Games next month. The success or failure of these championships could be an important factor.

The Greeks immediately countered the criticism by saying the nine-day programme was too long. "The programme is too big. Six days would have been better," Greek National Olympic Committee chief Lambis Nikolaou said. "More days is better for television and the advertising, but there are too many days. Perhaps the prices are too high. At the Olympics there would be lower prices."