‘Social media Olympics’ backfire on athletes and audiences alike

Olympic Games chiefs insisted that they had no regrets over dubbing London 2012 the “social media Olympics”, despite two athletes being expelled over remarks made on Twitter, a British teenager being arrested for abusing an athlete, and winning athletes warning that using social media would have disrupted their preparations.

Some 15 million social media fans are following the Olympics and their involvement is encouraged, the International Olympic Committee has said.

On Sunday, Switzerland footballer Michel Morganella became the second athlete to be expelled from the Games for directing an allegedly racist insult at South Koreans on Twitter.