Rio security sets off controlled explosion before basketball game
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Rio security forces carried out a controlled explosion of a backpack left in a bathroom at the basketball venue immediately prior to a matchup between Spain and Nigeria.
“The backpack was near a trash container in the bathroom on the top floor. A controlled explosion following the guidance of the Federal Police and the Army was undertaken,” Rio 2016 security officials said in a statement. “Inside the bag were found a tablet, a pair of socks and a jacket. Immediately after the detonation the public were allowed to enter.”
Security officials kept fans out of the Carioca 1 arena at the start of the game, but let them in once it was determined that the scene was secured.
“We heard the explosion,” Spain’s Pau Gasol said. “We didn’t know exactly what it was. We just kind of looked around and said, ‘What’s going on? What’s happening here?’ We didn’t know. We thought maybe nobody came to watch the game. At first, we just heard the noise and looked around but we saw everything was OK.”
Spain would go on to defeat Nigeria, 96-87.
This is the second controlled explosion at the Olympics, after a package was detonated near the finish line of the cycling road course several days ago.
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION, on sale now at Amazon or wherever books are sold. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.
