Games organisers braced for protesters' antics

Saturday’s Boat Race intrusion (Getty Images)

London Olympics organisers expect protesters to try to hijack events at this summer's Games – much as a university boat-race demonstrator did to great effect on Saturday.

Lord Coe, the chairman of the London Olympics' organising committee, appealed to "self-indulgent" protesters not to ruin the biggest days of athletes' careers.

He said he was "profoundly depressed" by the actions of the protester, Trenton Oldfield, who disrupted the boat race by swimming in front of the crews.

A spokesman for the organisers said: "We will be factoring what happened into our planning. Our road and outdoor events will be managed by event service teams and road marshals who are primarily volunteers.

"Any attempt to jeopardise their safety and well being would be taken seriously by all concerned. We hope people do not undertake foolish incidents like this."

Lord Coe, the Conservative peer and former Olympic middle-distance running champion, said: "I found it profoundly depressing that someone could be so self-indulgent."

Such acts were "destroying the dreams of people who have spent most of their young lives preparing for that moment". He added: "There was something rather larger [going on] that day than your [Mr Oldfield's] own rather self-indulgent view of the world."

Lord Coe also said there will be a "series of community engagement programmes" to mark the 100-day countdown to the Games next week, although he declined to provide details.