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Post by Phunkette on Aug 17, 2004 16:07:10 GMT -5
ATHENS (CP) - Olympic organizers have increased security inside all sports venues Tuesday after a Canadian, whose body was emblazoned with the name of an Internet casino, climbed out of the stands and jumped off one of the boards into the pool.
GoldenPalace.com, which has used the man for similar publicity stunts in the past, identified him as Ron Bensimhon of Montreal. But spokesman Drew Black said Bensimhon did the Olympic stunt on his own Monday night.
"The guy's done it for us before, but . . . he really did this unexpected," Black, who had heard from Bensimhon's lawyer, said Tuesday from Quebec.
"He claims he did it for notoriety, to get famous. So that's what he did and that's why he put on GP (GoldenPalace.com) because GP has done all this stuff before. And that's about all we got from his lawyer."
Bensimhon, 31, was arrested and charged with "interrupting the Games," said a spokesman with the Greek Ministry of Public Order.
Officials refused to identify the man or give his hometown. He spent the night at a police station and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.
It wasn't immediately clear what penalty the Canadian, identified in some previous stunts as Ron Simon, could face.
"It's up to the court to decide," said the Ministry of Public Order official.
A Canadian Embassy spokesman said the man has not contacted them.
"This gentleman has a lawyer," said the spokesman. "He hired him independently. The lawyer has not been in touch with the embassy."
Athens organizers were quick to act.
"We are going to put security guys around the field of play," said Marton Simitsek, an Athens 2004 executive.
The additional security officers will be dressed in the Athens organizers' uniforms, Simitsek said.
The incident happened around 10:50 p.m. local time Monday during the synchronized diving competition. The man had bought a ticket to the event.
Wearing baggy blue shorts, he jumped off a board into the pool in a somewhat ungainly fashion, waving his arms in the air from the water. He appeared to have something written on his front and back.
Bensimhon made headlines earlier this year in Dortmund, Germany, when he came on the ice at the world figure skating championships wearing skates, a tutu, ski goggles and a small top hat with the casino name written on his body.
At the time, American star Michelle Kwan was preparing to perform. She eventually left the ice because of the disruption.
The Canadian was later released after German police decided the his actions represented disorderly conduct rather than an offence meriting arrest.
GoldenPalace.com has a history of interrupting major sporting events to seek publicity.
The casino also spent more than $45,000 last month to buy the soccer ball England captain David Beckham blasted into the stands during a Euro 2004 loss to Portugal. It plans to use the ball for charity events.
GoldenPalace.com has also used notorious British streaker Mark Roberts to crash the world swimming championship, Super Bowl, Real Madrid home opener, French Open tennis and UEFA Cup soccer final.
At the swim championship, Roberts wore a pink tutu and red bathing cap when he jumped into the water during the synchronized swimming final.
The casino also has used boxers as human billboards during fights and employed topless women to crash golf tournaments. And it had former NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman run with the bulls in Pamplona to raise money for MS research.
But Tuesday, a somewhat flummoxed Black said he was "more surprised than anything at all" about the Olympic incident. The free advertising might ease his concerns, however.
GoldenPalace.com has Canadian ties in that it is one of many gambling ventures licensed by the Quebec-based Kahnawake Gaming Commission. It has an office on the First Nation community near Montreal, where Black is based, as well as in Antigua and England.
Its CEO, Richard Rowe, is a native of Guernsey - an island in the English Channel.
Monday night's incident came after Canadian divers Blythe Hartley and Emilie Heymans won a bronze medal in synchronized swimming Monday.
What a fucking moron, lol.
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Post by Mickey Martini on Aug 17, 2004 16:09:38 GMT -5
[quote author=[Miss] Phunk link=board=OTher&thread=1092776830&start=0#0 date=1092776830]
ATHENS (CP) - Olympic organizers have increased security inside all sports venues Tuesday after a Canadian, whose body was emblazoned with the name of an Internet casino, climbed out of the stands and jumped off one of the boards into the pool.
GoldenPalace.com, which has used the man for similar publicity stunts in the past, identified him as Ron Bensimhon of Montreal. But spokesman Drew Black said Bensimhon did the Olympic stunt on his own Monday night.
"The guy's done it for us before, but . . . he really did this unexpected," Black, who had heard from Bensimhon's lawyer, said Tuesday from Quebec.
"He claims he did it for notoriety, to get famous. So that's what he did and that's why he put on GP (GoldenPalace.com) because GP has done all this stuff before. And that's about all we got from his lawyer."
Bensimhon, 31, was arrested and charged with "interrupting the Games," said a spokesman with the Greek Ministry of Public Order.
Officials refused to identify the man or give his hometown. He spent the night at a police station and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.
It wasn't immediately clear what penalty the Canadian, identified in some previous stunts as Ron Simon, could face.
"It's up to the court to decide," said the Ministry of Public Order official.
A Canadian Embassy spokesman said the man has not contacted them.
"This gentleman has a lawyer," said the spokesman. "He hired him independently. The lawyer has not been in touch with the embassy."
Athens organizers were quick to act.
"We are going to put security guys around the field of play," said Marton Simitsek, an Athens 2004 executive.
The additional security officers will be dressed in the Athens organizers' uniforms, Simitsek said.
The incident happened around 10:50 p.m. local time Monday during the synchronized diving competition. The man had bought a ticket to the event.
Wearing baggy blue shorts, he jumped off a board into the pool in a somewhat ungainly fashion, waving his arms in the air from the water. He appeared to have something written on his front and back.
Bensimhon made headlines earlier this year in Dortmund, Germany, when he came on the ice at the world figure skating championships wearing skates, a tutu, ski goggles and a small top hat with the casino name written on his body.
At the time, American star Michelle Kwan was preparing to perform. She eventually left the ice because of the disruption.
The Canadian was later released after German police decided the his actions represented disorderly conduct rather than an offence meriting arrest.
GoldenPalace.com has a history of interrupting major sporting events to seek publicity.
The casino also spent more than $45,000 last month to buy the soccer ball England captain David Beckham blasted into the stands during a Euro 2004 loss to Portugal. It plans to use the ball for charity events.
GoldenPalace.com has also used notorious British streaker Mark Roberts to crash the world swimming championship, Super Bowl, Real Madrid home opener, French Open tennis and UEFA Cup soccer final.
At the swim championship, Roberts wore a pink tutu and red bathing cap when he jumped into the water during the synchronized swimming final.
The casino also has used boxers as human billboards during fights and employed topless women to crash golf tournaments. And it had former NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman run with the bulls in Pamplona to raise money for MS research.
But Tuesday, a somewhat flummoxed Black said he was "more surprised than anything at all" about the Olympic incident. The free advertising might ease his concerns, however.
GoldenPalace.com has Canadian ties in that it is one of many gambling ventures licensed by the Quebec-based Kahnawake Gaming Commission. It has an office on the First Nation community near Montreal, where Black is based, as well as in Antigua and England.
Its CEO, Richard Rowe, is a native of Guernsey - an island in the English Channel.
Monday night's incident came after Canadian divers Blythe Hartley and Emilie Heymans won a bronze medal in synchronized swimming Monday.What a fucking moron, lol. [/quote] Blame Canada! Everyone else does  This guy obviously had frostbite in his brain from too many cold Canadian winters |
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Murf
Soldier
Posts: 92
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Post by Murf on Aug 17, 2004 16:34:43 GMT -5
Blame Canada! Everyone else does Acceptance is the first step towards recovery... |
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Post by Phunkette on Aug 17, 2004 16:37:08 GMT -5
*sings* Blame Canada...  |
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calbell
Soldier
Autobots, Roll Out
Posts: 202
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Post by calbell on Aug 17, 2004 16:40:09 GMT -5
Is it just me, or are stunts like this getting a tad tiresome. I just don't understand why anyone would want to go and do something like this.
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Post by ~AFC AJAX~ on Aug 18, 2004 1:32:19 GMT -5
I saw it happening... I think it's cool!
It's different from walking on to a football field or any other sports field...
Somebody else has to jump in the pool to get you out.
Funny...
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Post by Atl on Aug 18, 2004 10:28:07 GMT -5
Is it just me, or are stunts like this getting a tad tiresome. I just don't understand why anyone would want to go and do something like this. I think it was a stunt to get some publicity. With a record amount being spent on security, there is no way that idiot should have made it to the pool. Unless it was planned all along. It's just like that idiot who ran onto the field at the Super Bowl and danced his Irish jig. What if he had a bomb strapped on him? The organizers aren't fooling me one bit. |
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