Olympics: No bed for Ben in Olympic village

By CHRIS RATTUE

There will be no room at the Olympic inn for Ben Bright.

The Christchurch triathlete will be the only one of the 152 New Zealand competitors unable to sleep at the Olympic village in Sydney.

Bright's refusal to sleep at the village one night before his event on the second day of competition has seen him stripped of his village bed by the New Zealand Olympic committee.

After weeks of negotiations, the triathlon team of Hamish Carter, Craig Watson, Evelyn Williamson and Bright have been permitted to stay at a rented house near the coast in Sydney. After competing, they will move into the village to support the rest of the Kiwi contingent.

The triathletes said their training would be severely hampered by village life and the travel to various training areas. While they did not see a compromise as ideal, all but Bright agreed to stay at the village on the Monday night.

His coach, John Hellemans, said: "Staying on Monday is a token gesture. It's laughable because a lot of the team won't be there yet, and those who are will be asleep 95 per cent of the time so there won't be much bonding going on."

New Zealand team manager Richard de Groen denied Bright was being punished. All athletes had to spend time in the village before their event, and the committee wanted to maximise the space for those prepared to do that.

"I'm disappointed that Ben has chosen that option but it's a team, and he's the one who has decided not to come into the village."

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