Coe pleads for protesters to spare Games

Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee (Reuters)

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 Olympic's organising committee, appealed to "self-indulgent" protesters not to ruin the biggest days of athletes' careers.

Lord Coe 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. We hope people do not undertake foolish incidents like this, which hardly endear people to their causes."

Lord Coe, the Conservative peer and former double Olympic 1,500m 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".