Australian sex offender coach under IOC scrutiny at Paris Olympics

The International Olympic Committee said Sunday it would "look into" how Australian triathlon coach Brett Sutton had attended the Paris Games despite having convictions for child sex abuse.

Sutton was given accreditation by the Chinese National Olympic Committee, IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters and was spotted at the finish line of the women's triathlon on Wednesday along with Swiss silver medallist Julie Derron, whom he coaches.

"They are no longer here. They have left the Games," Adams told reporters when questioned about Sutton. "In the first instance, it's an issue for the Chinese Olympic Committee."

He added: "Whilst we have safeguarding measures in place, unfortunately, things do occur from time to time and we will look into this."

Sutton runs the Trisutto triathlon coaching company, which posted pictures of him at the finish line on Instagram as well as a video of him speaking to Swiss TV after Derron's surprise second-place finish.

In 1999, Sutton admitted to five sex offenses against a teenage girl in Australia and was given a suspended sentence.

Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, who has a conviction for raping an underaged girl, has focused attention on whether sports people with historic sex abuse convictions should be allowed to attend the Games.

He was booed by some fans when he made his first appearance on July 28 and has been separated from other Dutch athletes, meaning he is not staying at the athletes' village.

"What is in the past is in the past, and he had his punishment," van de Velde's teammate Matthew Immers said.

AFP has contacted the Chinese National Olympic Committee for comment about Sutton.

Trisutto says on its website that "no one has produced more winning triathletes in the history of our sport" and claims the group has trained four Olympic medallists and 30 world champions.