IOC defends NBC for tape-delayed coverage of Usain Bolt winning Olympics 100-meter final

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Jamaica\'s Usain Bolt holds up one finger after finishing first in the men\'s 100-meter final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012.(AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

LONDON – The International Olympic Committee has defended NBC for not showing the men’s 100-meter final live on its main network.

Usain Bolt dashed to victory in the signature event of the London Olympics on Sunday at 4:50 p.m EDT. NBC broadcast the race hours later on tape-delay in prime time.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams says “it’s certainly not for us to tell them how to reach their audience.” Adams says NBC live-streamed the race for online viewers, so “if you wanted live, you could get it live.”

NBC has exclusive U.S. for the London Games. It struck a $2.2 billion deal with the IOC in 2003, which included rights to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

NBC has broadcast every Summer Olympics since 1988.

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