THE ELDEST SON of determined Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has been allocated almost 1,000 for next year’s Olympic Games, it has been revealed.
Mohammed al-Gaddafi has been given the tickets in his role as the head of the Libyan Olympic Committee – which the International Olympic Committee has refused to expel, in spite of the country’s domestic civil war.
The Daily Telegraph, reporting the story, said that the UK Government fears a major diplomatic embarrassment if he should show up personally.
The Telegraph later reported that the tickets had been withdrawn, but its report was quickly withdrawn.
The appearance of a Gaddafi would almost certainly be viewed poorly – not only on the par of the host nation, but also of those involved in military operations to oust Muammar Gaddafi from power in a lengthy armed campaign.
Gaddafi Jr has previously lived and studied in England, completing a doctorate in engineering in Liverpool five years ago. Another son, Saif, has previously trained with Italian football giant Juventus FC.
The allocation – when the Libyan government’s authority is being undermined by the insurgent rebel movement, which now claims power over the entire country – has also upset disappointed ticket applicants from around the world.
250,000 people who applied for tickets to next summer’s games were left empty-handed – including the city’s current mayor, Boris Johnson, who was “slightly cheesed off” at not winning any tickets in the international lottery.
Even the men who designed the Olympic torch for next year’s games told ThisIsLondon.co.uk they had not managed to secure tickets to any events.
1.8 million individual tickets were requested for the flagship men’s 100m final, when only 40,000 seats will be available to the public.
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