LAUSANNE, Switzerland (September 5, 1997 4:21 p.m. EDT) -- Athens was awarded the 2004

Summer Olympics Friday by the International Olympic Committee, bringing the games back to their birthplace after an absence of more than a century. Athens beat out ancient rival Rome, considered the slight favourite, and Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cape Town, South Africa; and Stockholm, Sweden. Even though Rome was the slight favourite, Athens won the vote 66 versus 41.

By choosing Athens, the IOC returned to its traditional roots in Europe while declining to take thegames for the first time to Africa or South America.

Even personal appeals to the voters in Lausanne from South African President Nelson Mandela and Argentine President Carlos Menem failed to win over the IOC.

Athens (1896), Rome (1960) and Stockholm (1912) have all staged the games before. And there clearly was strong sentiment for taking the games back to Europe in 2004 after 10 years and four Olympics away from the continent.

The Olympic Committees are also looking at introducing water skiing as an Olympic event at the 2004 Games.