London Olympics Chief Starter Banned From Using Gun To Start Elementary Race

A UK elementary school was beyond excited when they secured the services of the man responsible for sounding the start of the upcoming Olympic Games, but that excitement quickly turned to disappointment when the school board banned the use of his trustworthy pistol, according to the Daily Mail.

London Olympics Chief starter Alan Bell has started over 25,000 races with his pistol. His services have been rendered throughout the UK and is even famously known as the guy who false started the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt at the athletics World Championships last year.

However, when a local Elementary school landed the big name to help start a race they were having for the kids, the school board nixed the idea saying that the sound would frighten the children.

Originally instructing them to use a recorded gun sound to be played through an iPod, they soon banned that as well and instead opted to use a klaxon, which is a horn known for its “ahooga” sound.

Many parents were outraged at the idea of banning something that has that much history in competition, claiming their reasoning was “silly.”

“The council tied themselves in knots trying to sort this out. One solution they came up with was to play a recording of a starting pistol on an iPod so the gun would not actually be fired on school grounds,” says the parent to The Scottish Sun.

“Anyone who believes they would be frightened by a starting pistol has never experienced the noise at a typical three-year-old’s birthday party,” they continued.

A spokeswoman from the elementary school said that the event was still a “huge success” despite not using the services of the famed starter.

Alan Bell declined to comment on the situation.

What do you think of the school boards decision to ban the London Olympics Chief Starter from using his starting pistol at their local race?