SOCOG blasts Bolts

Sydney 2000 Games organisers have launched legal action against several Brisbane Bolts players following an incident during the recent Olympic torch relay through the city.
A spokesman for the Sydney Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (SOCOG) confirmed yesterday that legal action had been initiated as a result of the actions of Bolts players invited to carry the Olympic torch.
Six Bolts players, led by the team’s star gripper, Duncan “Tooly” Macnamara, took part in the torch relay through Brisbane streets.
Macnamara ran with the torch for the designated 300 metres through westside streets before handing it over to in-field thrasher, Jeffery “Kabana” Edwards, who in turn passed it to back-quarter stumper, Stephen “Sausage” Long.
After running his leg of the relay, Long handed the torch to long-time Bolts grouter, Peter “Dickie” Maxwell. The final two Bolts runners were Derek “Derrick” Cooper, and Terry “Huge Cock” Simpson.
It’s understood the trouble started after Simpson had finished his leg of the relay at the Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens.
Television footage shows that while Simpson still had the flaming torch in his hand, Edwards pulled down his Bolts shorts and underwear and bent over to expose his bare backside and declare: “I’ll show you a torch.”
Macnamara, Long, Maxwell and Cooper quickly became semi-naked and packed a scrum around Edwards while Simpson used the Olympic flame to light his fellow players’ flatulence.
The SOCOG spokesman said the legal action had been taken soon after footage of the incident was screened on national and overseas television networks.
“SOCOG has taken this action to protect its interests and the interests of the Olympics themselves,” the spokesman said.
“There can be no excuse for what happened. Even if it wasn’t intentional, when the Bolts players were bent over, parts of their anatomy clearly formed a representation of the five-ring Olympic symbol.
“SOCOG has launched the litigation on behalf of the IOC in an effort to prevent a repeat of this incident.
“The Olympic rings are a well recognised and valuable trademark. They must be protected.”
Bolts’ coach, Jack Saunders, dismissed suggestions his players had deliberately set out to provoke SOCOG.
“It’s just a bit of high-jinks- just some good natured horseplay,” Saunders said
Bolts general manager, Terry Verandah, said the club would defend the SOCOG action vigorously.
“They can blow it out their arses,” Mr Verandah said in a prepared statement issued last night.