US agents will not be at London Olympic Games, says sport official

Nov 15, 2011, 17:13 GMT

London - A senior Olympics official Tuesday dismissed reports that the US were planning to send their own security staff to protect athletes at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Paul Deighton, the chief executive officer for the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) said that the US authorities themselves had rejected the report.

He was referring to an article in the Guardian newspaper Monday which said that the US had repeatedly raised concerns over the safety of sporting venues and were planning to send 1,000 security guards of their own to London for the Games next summer.

'What was reported yesterday has no basis and the Americans themselves have rejected it. They are very happy with what we are doing and it is highly collaborative,' Deighton told the culture, media and sport committee of the British parliament.

The US embassy in London had expressed the 'utmost confidence' in the organization of Games, which take place from July 27 to August 12.

However, Deighton said that there would be a 'combination of supply' of security staff from the private market, volunteers and, possibly, the armed forces.

In peak periods, more than 20,000 security personnel would be required, he said. Previously, the overall requirement of security guards had been put at around 10,000.

'We know we need something in the excess of 10 million hours of guarding and we can meet those hours from a variety of sources,' said Deighton.

One of the things under consideration by the Home Office was a 'mix of sources' of security guards.

The idea of using unarmed soldiers, which is under discussion, was 'very attractive' because troops were 'pre-trained and highly respected.'

They could be used to create confidence that all 2012 venues were safe in the face of a possible threat, said Deighton.

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