Police investigate Thorpe pass duplication

Add as a preferred source on Google

Sydney: Police are investigating a security breach at the Sydney Olympics involving illicit copies of Ian Thorpe's identity pass. Several copies of the Australian swimming sensation's security pass had been run off, probably for souvenir purposes, a source on the Games organising committee (SOCOG) said.

Police investigations were focusing on the Olympic accreditation centre, the source said. The alert was sounded on Sunday when Thorpe, Australia's best-known face after his double victory in the Olympic pool on Saturday, entered the athletes' village around lunchtime.

Security staff scanning Thorpe's pass found the electronic barcode had been invalidated - a sure sign under the Sydney Games security system that copies had been printed.

"I presume he flashed his gold medals. It's pretty easy to recognise the real Ian Thorpe," the source said when asked how the 17-year-old with size 17 feet had been able to prove his identity and get into the Village.

Hackett stopped as well

Police said SOCOG had advised them that more than one athlete may have had his pass duplicated. Australia's Olympic committee said Thorpe's teammate Grant Hackett, favourite for the 1,500 metres swimming gold, had also been a target.

"I understand that Grant Hackett was met at the entrance and escorted to a security officer to double-check his pass," said Michael Wenden, Australia's deputy head of mission at the Games.

"Then they said 'Thank you very much for your co-operation', and made sure that he wasn't inconvenienced in getting to a dining hall," Wenden said.

The passes issued to athletes, officials and journalists at the Sydney Games carry an electronic barcode and other security devices, including holograms, to guard against forgery.

If a pass is lost or stolen, the barcode on the original is automatically invalidated when a duplicate is printed. The source said checks had shown that "fewer than 10" duplicates of Thorpe's pass had been run off.

"It's obviously someone working in the uniformed Olympic accreditation centre," the source said. "It's almost certainly being done for souveniring purposes."

SOCOG confirmed on Monday that New South Wales police were still investigating the matter and said none of the duplicate passes had been used to get through the Games security net.

"To my knowledge, no one has got into the village unauthorised," spokeswoman Liz Smylie said. Police spokesman Kevin Daly said, "SOCOG have advised police of the possibility of a number of passes being duplicated. The police service are making enquiries."



(c) Reuters Limited.