Olympic prankster given five-month jail sentence

ATHENS (AFP) - A Canadian spectator who sparked a security alert at the Olympic Games after leaping into the pool during a diving event wearing a tutu was sentenced to five months in jail here.

However, the 31-year-old, who was not named by the court, was immediately released while he appeals against the conviction for a public order offence.

After also being fined 300 euros, he told the court he was a music producer who had been trying to gain a few minutes of fame and had not intended to disrupt the Games.

"I acted in the spirit of the celebrating Greeks and Spyros Louis," he said.

Louis won the marathon at the first modern Games held in Athens in 1896.

The man claimed he had been struck by two policemen after being dragged out of the pool at the Olympic Aquatic Centre where a synchronised diving event had been taking place on Tuesday, but he had not made a formal complaint.

The Athens Olympics organisers said the man had told police he "wanted to present a message to his wife by getting on television."

However the US-based online casino whose name was painted across his nude torso said he was Ron Bensimhon, a serial prankster who had performed a similar stunt at the World Figure Skating Championships in Dortmund in March.

Olympics Games organisers ordered security to be stepped up at all venues after the security breach.

Athens is spending 1.2 billion euros (1.4 billion dollars) on guarding the Games, the biggest security bill in Olympic history.

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Olympic security shake-up after online casino stunt

ATHENS (AFP) - Olympics Games organisers ordered beefed-up security at all venues after an embarrassing breach involving a Canadian man who leapt into the pool during a synchronised diving event.

The order to step up security was launched after the 31-year-old, dressed in a tutu and clown shoes, mounted one of the boards and plunged into the water during the competition Monday evening.

He stayed in the pool for several minutes before officials at the Aquatic Centre realised he was not supposed to be there and pulled him out.

Marton Simitsek, CEO of the Athens organising committee, told a press conference that the man "wanted to present a message to his wife by getting on television."

"He took off his shirt and he had a message on his chest," Simitsek said.

In fact the message carefully printed on the man's bare chest was the name of an online gambling website, which has launched similar stunts at a host of major sporting events.

Men and women representing the company have run on the field of play, sometimes half-dressed and sometimes nude, bearing the slogan at the 2002 European Cup football final in Glasgow, this year's Superbowl and the 2003 US Open Golf among other events.

The man was taken away by security staff and handed over to the police.

He will remain in custody to face trial in Athens Wednesday for violating public order rules, a court official said.

Simitsek said that because of the prank, police would now be placed around all competition areas in every venue to prevent another 'invasion'.

But to play down the police presence the officers will be dressed in the bright multi-coloured shirts worn by volunteers.

"We want to keep the appearance of security low-key. Security people are there but we don't want venues to be packed with people in uniforms," said Simitsek.

As for the arrested husband, "this gentleman will go through the normal legal channels like everbody else, Greek or foreign," said Simitsek.

When told that the man had in fact been advertising, Games organisers said they had merely repeated what the man had told Greek police.

Athens is spending 1.2 billion euros (1.4 billion dollars) on guarding the Games, making it the biggest security bill in Olympic history.