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Canada's tally: one bronze, one fool in pool
Athens - After four days of Olympic competition, Canada can lay claim to a bronze medal in diving and the fool in the pool.
With Greece spending 1.2 billion euros ($1.9-billion) on security for the Games, Olympic organizers were not amused Tuesday after a 31-year-old from Montreal jumped off the three-metre board at the diving venue Monday night.
The half-naked man had an advertisement for an Internet casino, written on his front and back. The stunt was captured on video.
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 Mr. Bensimhon jumped into the Olympic deep end on his own.
Mr. Bensimhon was arrested and charged with “interrupting the Games,” said a spokesman with the Greek Ministry of Public Order.
He is due in court in Athens on Wednesday.
Mr. Bensimhon, identified in some previous stunts as Ron Simon, faces a misdemeanour charge of violating the normal running of the Games. The maximum penalty is five years in jail but a more likely outcome is a 30-day sentence, which will be wiped out if a fine is paid.
Officials refused to identify the man or give his hometown. He spent the night at a police station.
“The guy's done it for us before, but ... he really did this unexpected,” Mr. Black, who had heard from Mr. 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.”
Olympic organizers said they had tightened security at venues as a result of the stunt.
“We are going to put security guys around the field of play,” said Marton Simitsek, an Athens 2004 executive.
Mr. Black said he found the footage hilarious, but admitted: “If I was security, I wouldn't find it too funny myself.
A Canadian Embassy spokesman said the man has hired a lawyer, but has refused assistance from the embassy.
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.
Mr. 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, Mr. 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 Mr. 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 native community near Montreal, where Mr. Black is based, as well as in Antigua and England.