Olympic Torch Extinguished Three Times in Paris Relay

PARIS — The Olympic torch relay descended further into farce yesterday as the flame was extinguished three times and the Paris leg of its round-the-world tour cut short.

Pro-Tibet demonstrators caused disruption on the streets of the French capital, less than 24 hours after similar scenes of chaos were played out across London.

The president of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, said previously that it was not his job to "interfere in China's internal affairs" but admitted yesterday that the IOC was concerned at the international repercussions of what had happened in Tibet. Beijing has faced increasing criticism over its handling of anti-Chinese protests in Tibet, which exiled Tibetan leaders say killed up to 150 people. China says Tibetan rioters have killed 18 civilians and two policemen.

"The International Olympic Committee has expressed its serious concern and called for a rapid, peaceful resolution of Tibet," Mr Rogge said. "Violence for whatever reason is not compatible with the values of the torch relay or the Olympic Games."

The executive board of the IOC will meet in Beijing later this week and is expected to recommend the abolition of future international torch relays. It said the route of the Olympic torch should be as "originally envisaged" — with the flame lit in Olympia, carried through Greece, and then on to the host country.

Yesterday, it was the French security forces — rather than protesters — who snuffed out the flame in Paris, shortly after it had begun its journey from the Eiffel Tower.

Barely 200 yards along the Left Bank of the Seine the flame was extinguished and the torch taken on to a bus to prevent anyone getting near it, despite the Olympic cortege being protected by a wall of police in riot vans, on bikes and rollerblades. It was thought to have been the first time that the flame had been deliberately extinguished by organizers.