Let's do the thugs...

Coe slams Chinese 'thugs'

The Daily Telegraph

April 08, 2008 - SEBASTIAN Coe, London's 2012 Olympics chief, has been overheard describing Chinese officials guarding the Olympic torch as it passed through London as "thugs".

Channel 4 News said it was accidentally connected to a conversation between former Olympic champion, now Lord Coe and a media spokeswoman when in fact the broadcaster had been hoping to speak to the former his media office.

Lord Coe's comments were directed at Chinese officials guarding the Olympic torch during its tumultuous journey through London on Sunday, when several protesters attempted to disrupt the route.

See footage of the scuffles here

He said organisers of the French leg of the torch relay through Paris should "get rid of those guys" because the Chinese officials "tried to push me out of the way three times".

"They are horrible. They did not speak English ... I think they were thugs."

A spokeswoman for the London 2012 Olympics confirmed that Lord Coe, the 1980 and 1984 Olympic 1500m champion, had made the remarks.

"Seb (Coe) was commenting on media reports about the role of the flame attendants during yesterday's torch relay," a spokeswoman for the London Games said today.

"He was expressing his concern with the way he had been treated by them when he was on the relay route."