China has tried to shield its people from news of the travails of the Olympic torch relay through London and angrily condemned the protesters who tried to disrupt its route.

An official for the Beijing Olympic Games torch relay office voiced disgust at attempts by protesters opposing Beijing's drive to restore order in the Tibet region after riots last month and shootings of Tibetan demonstrators in the past week.

“A tiny number of Tibet independence elements sought to disrupt the relay of the Olympic Games sacred flame through London.” the official said. “We strongly condemn this vile behaviour.”

That tone was echoed today by Wang Hui, spokeswoman of the Beijing Games organising committee, as she placed the blame on protesters supporting independence for Tibet. “We strongly condemn the disruption of the torch relay by the Tibetan separatists,” she said.

“The torch belongs to the people of the world and these Tibetan separatists who dare to challenge the Olympic spirit will be condemned by the people of the world and are doomed to failure."

Few Chinese were aware of the demonstrators in London who threw themselves repeatedly into the path of the relay yesterday because state media - television and newspapers - have avoided mention of the incidents.

Chinese television showed only brief shots of the start and cut away from the relay for lengthy periods. Studio hosts and guests were shown discussing the Games. Newspapers hailed the relay and made briefest passing mention to protesters.

China was unable to avoid the controversy over Tibet even at home, however.

Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said that he was very concerned by the international situation and what has happened in Tibet. “The International Olympic Committee has expressed its serious concern and called for a rapid, peaceful resolution of Tibet,” he said in a speech at the beginning of a three-day meeting of National Olympic Committee heads in Beijing.

He appeared to have words of warning both for Beijing and the protesters. He said: “Violence, for whatever reason, is not compatible with the values of the torch relay and the Olympic Games. Some people have played with the idea of boycotts. As I speak today, there is no momentum for a general boycott.”

The issue of how much freedom athletes will have to express their political views was a hot topic among national Olympic chiefs in Beijing today, and Rogge was expected to address these concerns this week.

Patrick Hickey, head of the Association of European National Olympic Committees, said: “I've spent 30 minutes talking to the IOC chief about this matter and he will make a comprehensive statement on Thursday morning about this issue.”

Some athletes have already spoken out in opposition to some of China's policies, particularly its alliance with the Sudanese Government and whether that has contributed to the violence in Darfur. However, athletes are bound by an Olympic charter that limits what they can say and do about political issues during any Games.

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