It had to happen eventually: The world's oldest profession is wiggling its way inside the world's oldest athletic festival. But what is surprising to officials of the Olympic Games Media Village in Sydney, Australia, is that athletes aren't the prostitutes' primary customers. Olympic contestants are too busy swimming, running, jumping and shot-putting to bother with hookers at the moment. Apparently, they're there for journalists -- specifically, those from Japan and the United States.
According to Australian news reports this week, three prostitutes were spotted in a lounge area in the pub of the Media Village, chatting with three members of the U.S. media. After questioning, the women were banned from the village. One prostitute told reporters the reason hookers have begun showing up at the village is that there are so many Japanese and American journalists eager for their company. (She didn't say whether the women take corporate credit cards or provide expense receipts.)
One would think that with the official opening of the Games on Friday, journalists would be busy preparing to describe the exciting moments of the competition, the thrill of victory or agony of defeat and so on. Although that might be the case, they're apparently also considering paying for sex.
The village management says the prostitutes were signed into the village as guests of an employee of a major American television network, but the news media won't disclose any names -- or acronyms, for that matter.
The Olympic Security Coordination Centre has launched an investigation into the situation, and village officials say that steps are being taken to ensure that the Media Village remains hooker-free for the rest of the Games.
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