The IOC will review plans for the remainder of the Beijing Olympic torch relay and consider scrapping the international portion of the event for future Games. International Olympic Committee officials expressed deep concern Tuesday about the disruption caused by anti-Chinese protests during the relay in Paris and London and braced for more potential trouble during Wednesday's leg through San Francisco. The flame arrived in San Francisco shortly before 4 A.M. (100 GMT) and was immediately put in a vehicle to be whisked away to a secret location, San Francisco Olympic Torch Relay Committee spokesman David Perry said. Security was heightened because several protests were planned before the torch's six-mile relay Wednesday. “We treated it like a head of state visit,” airport spokesman Mike McCaron said. Already, one runner who planned to carry the flame during the San Francisco relay dropped out because of safety concerns, Perry said. The person was not identified, but Perry said he understood the concern. IOC President Jacques Rogge said the committee's executive board would discuss the future of the Beijing relay on Friday. He did not rule out the option of suspending or scrapping part of the relay, although most Olympic officials are opposed to such a move and Beijing organizers have vowed to go to the end. “This is something that obviously has to be discussed by the executive board,” Rogge said. Asked whether the continuation of the international relay was certain, he said: “I'm not saying whether it is certain or not. There will be a discussion of the executive board on the torch relay but I attach on that absolutely no speculation whatsoever.” IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said there were no plans for canceling the rest of the relay, which has been the magnet for protests since the flame embarked on its 85,000-mile journey from Ancient Olympia in Greece to the Aug. 8-24 Beijing Olympics. “As we speak today, the IOC expects the relay to follow its course as planned and there has been no official discussion to the contrary,” Davies said. The torch relay has been disrupted in Greece, Istanbul, London and Paris by protesters opposed to China's policies in Tibet and human rights record. “I'm definitely concerned about what has happened in London and in Paris,” Rogge said. “I'm deeply saddened by the fact that such an important symbol has been attacked. We recognize the right for people to protest and express their views but it should be nonviolent. We are very sad for all the athletes and the people who expected so much from the run and have been spoiled of their joy.” On Monday, Olympic organizers canceled the final leg of the Paris run after demonstrators scaled the Eiffel Tower and forced security officials to repeatedly snuff out the torch and transport it by bus past demonstrators. China condemned the protests as “despicable” but vowed to continue the relay to the end. In San Francisco, three activists climbed the Golden Gate Bridge on Monday and tied the Tibetan flag and two banners to its cables. A series of demonstrations were planned before the relay Wednesday. After San Francisco, the torch is scheduled to travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and then to a dozen other countries. It is scheduled to enter mainland China on May 4 for the host country's portion of the relay. __
