Austria police in racist slur row

Four Austrian police officers have been suspended after allegations they made racist comments to an Olympic athlete.

Tuncay Caliskan,an Austrian of Turkish descent, competes at the international level in Taekwondo.

Mr Caliskan, 29, said the racist slurs came when he sought help at a Vienna police station after being threatened by a man with a baseball bat.

The city's police have been accused of several cases of brutality towards immigrants over the past two years.

In this case, a police spokesman confirmed that there had been a "violent and loud" confrontation in the police station.

He said all four officers - three men and a woman - would be required to attend training in human rights and sensitivity.

Mr Caliskan competed on behalf of Austria in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens games.