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Perec flees Sydney after stalker threatens her
SYDNEY, Sept 21 (AFP) - France's troubled three-time Olympic champion Marie-Jose Perec is believed to have fled Sydney after a stalker forced his way into her hotel room, the athlete's agent told AFP Thursday. Perec, who is seeking to defend her 400 metres crown at the Olympics, left her hotel in Sydney after a man threatened her in her room, agent Annick Avierinos said. "Marie-Jose Perec decided to leave after she was threatened on Wednesday in her hotel room," Avierinos said. "A man came to her room on Wednesday saying he had a package for her. "When she realised he had nothing for her she asked him to go away but the man kicked at the door so he could enter her bedroom," Averinos added. Perec, who has accused the Australian press of hounding her and making her a virtual prisoner in her room since her arrvial in Sydney , then threatened to call the police but the man still refused to go. "I will find you wherever you go," he told Perec before finally leaving. Following the incident Perec left for an unknown destination with her German coach Wolfgang Meier and boyfriend Anthuan Maybank. It was not clear where Perec had decamped to but French Athletic Federation President Philippe Lamblin said she may have have gone to Melbourne, nearly 1,000 kilometres south and one-hour's flight from Sydney. Averinos said Perec's Olympic participation was not in doubt following the incident. She is due to run in heats on Friday. "We will do everything we can so she runs," Averinos said. This was just the latest in an extraordinary couple of weeks for Perec - who has been dubbed Greta Garbo because of her intent to be left alone - as she has resorted to a website to communicate with the outside world. She took on the mantle of the latest celebrity to be hounded by the press and briefly went on the attack to explain why she would not meet with the press not even the more friendly French media. "They just make up rumours and attack me at will," she said. "I have the impression that everything has been made up in order to destabilise me," she added. The 32-year-old, who has been the subject of hostile press reports here as she prepared for her mouthwatering clash with home heroine Cathy Freeman in the 400m.
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