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Two sacked over Bolt ‘selfie’

GLASGOW — Usain Bolt has been caught up in more controversy at the Commonwealth Games after two Glasgow 2014 security guards were reportedly sacked for taking their photograph with the Jamaican sprinter.

Bolt watching a preliminary round netball match between New Zealand and Jamaica at SECC Precinct in Glasgow on Wednesday. He will begin his campaign in the 4x100m relay heats today. Photo: Getty Images

Bolt watching a preliminary round netball match between New Zealand and Jamaica at SECC Precinct in Glasgow on Wednesday. He will begin his campaign in the 4x100m relay heats today. Photo: Getty Images

GLASGOW — Usain Bolt has been caught up in more controversy at the Commonwealth Games after two Glasgow 2014 security guards were reportedly sacked for taking their photograph with the Jamaican sprinter.

Bolt was training at Hampden Park earlier in the week when two security guards approached him and asked for a “selfie”, reported the Evening Standard.

The two guards have reportedly been relieved of their duties and the 15,000 Commonwealth Games volunteers, known as Clyde-siders, have been warned to remain professional at all times and not to approach athletes. Bolt is not thought to have played any part in the decision.

One volunteer at the athletics stadium was quoted by the Evening Standard as saying: “The (supervisor) was saying we shouldn’t be doing that with our mobile phones. Everyone was taking photographs of him but these two guys got punted (sacked).”

The incident comes after Bolt was caught up in a row over claims that he called the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow “a bit s***”.

The triple Olympic and world champion was quoted in the Times, who subsequently published the conversation in full, saying Glasgow 2014 did not compare with the London Olympics two years ago.

Bolt has denied making the comments, writing on Twitter: “I’m waking up to this nonsense..journalist please don’t create lies to make headlines.”

Commonwealth Games organisers stood by their star, and the Games chief executive, Mike Hooper said: “We take Mr Bolt at his word. We’re very pleased with how he’s responded and that’s our position.

Olive McNaughton, the Jamaican team’s media liaison officer, did admit, however, that the Jamaican squad had not greatly enjoyed the food thus far, joking that the jerk chicken in the athletes’ village was “OK” but “not authentic”.

Bolt’s team-mate, Jason Livermore, appeared to suggest that there was some truth in the suggestion that the Jamaican camp was not entirely happy, describing the Scottish conditions — yesterday was grey and wet — as “tough” for the athletes, adding that the experience could “be better in a lot of senses”.

It is not only volunteers who have been caught up in the mania surrounding Bolt, with a press conference descending into farce last week when an Australian journalist asked for her own photo with the sprinter.

“Usain, we’re not here as journalists, we’re here as fans,” she said, before requesting her own “selfie” with Bolt.

The Jamaican, who is not competing in the individual events in Glasgow, begins his campaign in the 4x100m relay heats today.

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