Tutu diver splashes into spotlight
By Robert-Jan Bartunek
Tuesday, August 17, 2004 Posted: 1415 GMT (2215 HKT)
ATHENS, Greece (CNN) -- Security has been tightened at the Athens Games after a man in a tutu jumped into the pool from the diving board during the men's synchronized three-meter springboard event.
He stayed in the pool for several minutes Monday before officials realized he was not supposed to be there and pulled him out of the water.
Olympic organizers said after the event that the man was trying to send a love message home to his wife, but the Web address of an online casino painted on the man's chest told another story.
Men and women representing the company have in the past 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.
A spokeswoman of the Greek ministry of public order told CNN that the man had passed all security checks at the entrance of the diving arena and that he did not have any weapons with him.
The man, a 31-year old Canadian citizen, has been detained by police and will face a court hearing tomorrow the spokeswoman said.
Getting into the pool was easy, as so far there were no barriers between the pool and the grandstands. But this situation could be reviewed.
"We are going to put security guys around the field of play," ATHOC executive director Marton Simitsek told The Associated Press.
By Robert-Jan Bartunek
Tuesday, August 17, 2004 Posted: 1415 GMT (2215 HKT)
ATHENS, Greece (CNN) -- Security has been tightened at the Athens Games after a man in a tutu jumped into the pool from the diving board during the men's synchronized three-meter springboard event.
He stayed in the pool for several minutes Monday before officials realized he was not supposed to be there and pulled him out of the water.
Olympic organizers said after the event that the man was trying to send a love message home to his wife, but the Web address of an online casino painted on the man's chest told another story.
Men and women representing the company have in the past 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.
A spokeswoman of the Greek ministry of public order told CNN that the man had passed all security checks at the entrance of the diving arena and that he did not have any weapons with him.
The man, a 31-year old Canadian citizen, has been detained by police and will face a court hearing tomorrow the spokeswoman said.
Getting into the pool was easy, as so far there were no barriers between the pool and the grandstands. But this situation could be reviewed.
"We are going to put security guys around the field of play," ATHOC executive director Marton Simitsek told The Associated Press.
I laughed my arse off when I saw that happen whilst watching the competition. Really threw the Russians off just before they were due to compete. 
There's always a chance of that happening at any venue, anywhere in the world.
