Olympic commentator in street incident

Sports commentator Steve Robilliard, in Beijing for TVNZ, was chased and attacked near his hotel yesterday.

Robilliard, an ABC netball commentator for almost 20 years, said he was on his way back from a shop near the Hubei Hotel in the Haidian district when he was set upon about 2200 local time (0000 AEST).

“I just walked to the shop and I walked past a group of youths and one of them, I guess he was drunk, he had his shirt off and was urinating on a wall,” he said.

“This guy just started running at me. I kept running … and then he threw a broken stool at me. I put my hands up to defend myself and got a small cut.

“It was really unexpected because up until then I had felt really safe.”

He said a friend of the attacker appeared to apologise for the man’s behaviour and a local on a bike stopped to offer the use of his mobile phone. A police car then pulled up and the officers, who did not speak English, seemed to want to help, he said.

Robilliard, who described the injury as no worse than a graze, was back at work today commentating on gymnastics and hockey for New Zealand’s TVNZ.

“I am sure it was out of character for the rest of the city.”

Source: news.com.au