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ATHENS – Greece's Olympic Games organisers on Tuesday apologised and launched an investigation into allegations that a Mexican television crew was beaten by guards after they attempted to film outside the Olympic Games port of Piraeus.
The two Televisa Mexico crew and one translator say they were pushed into an unmarked car by three security officers as they tried to film outside the port that will host Olympic cruise ships for the August 13-29 Games.
They said they were taken to a police gymnasium and beaten.
"We strongly regret what happened yesterday," Games spokesman Michael Zaharatos told reporters, while not confirming any of the details given by the Mexicans.
"A formal investigation has been launched and should there be a need for disciplinary action against the officers it will be taken immediately."
"This incident will not be repeated," he said.
Piraeus, adjoining Athens and Europe's biggest passenger port where seven luxury lines including the world's biggest cruise ship – the Queen Mary II – will dock to act as floating hotels, is one of the most secure Olympic locations.
It has been sealed off to anyone apart from ticket-holding travellers and accredited personnel since August 2 and filming even outside the port is prohibited without a special permit.
A spokeswoman for Televisa, which holds the rights for broadcasting the Games in Mexico, said the journalists were "kidnapped and beaten."
"They had gone to the port, outside the port, to do a security story. The reporter is an experienced journalist who has won many awards so he knew what he was doing," she said.
"But they were literally kidnapped, taken to a police gym and they were hit in the face (and) legs," she said.
They were released some four hours later and after the intervention of the Mexican embassy.
She said the crew had gone to a medical examiner to have their injuries recorded.
It was not yet clear whether they would file an official complaint or a lawsuit against authorities.
Port officials were unavailable for comment.
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