LOCOG may ask for more troops to address ‘shambolic’ security

London: London 2012 Organising Committee of Olympic (LOCOG) chairman, Lord Coe has refused to rule out possibility of asking more troops for security purposes during the games, after G4S, the private security firm, failed to provide enough staff.

When asked if more troops will be required when the Games begin in two weeks, Lord Coe replied: “We are working on it at the moment.” UK ministers were forced to assign an extra 3,500 soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines to security duties at Olympic sites this week after G4S failed to fulfill its mandatory contractual obligations. G4S has issued a statement, apologising for the blunders. The company it said it “deeply regrets” not being able to deliver on its contract. The firm’s officials admitted it had “recently encountered significant difficulties in processing applicants in sufficient numbers through the necessary training vetting and accreditation procedures”. There have been reports that 1000 extra police officers will be drafted in to patrol Olympic venues. Earlier, Lord Coe declined to discuss details of the contract G4S was given by LOCOG. “The G4S [contract] is robust and this is not the moment for the minutiae of legalese and a blame game here, we have 14 days to get it right,’’ he said. ANI