Convicted sub-contractor adds to Open security woes

MELBOURNE, Jan 26 (Reuters) Australian Open officials have removed a sub-contractor working at the event after a member of the public alerted organisers to a previous criminal conviction.

Tennis Australia declined to reveal where the man had been working, saying only it was in a public area at Melbourne Park and that his dismissal was not because of a specific incident at this year's opening grand slam.

''It's not appropriate to reveal the nature of the offence but it was of a significant enough nature that we did not want him on our site,'' spokesman John Lindsay told Reuters today, adding that the offence in question was committed several years ago.

Tennis Australia informed police when the member of the public came forward and once the validity of the claim had been confirmed the individual had his ground pass cancelled and will no longer be allowed entry to the tournament.

The incident is the latest in a line of security worries for tournament organisers.

On the event's opening day, 150 people were escorted off the site after violent brawls erupted between rival Serbian and Croatian supporters.

Police were also called to the Melbourne Park venue when a five-year-old boy was the alleged victim of a sexual assault in one of the tournament's toilet blocks.

REUTERS SAM HS1543