The Associated Press

August 1, 1984, Wednesday, PM cycle

 

SECTION: Sports News

LENGTH: 159 words

DATELINE: LOS ANGELES

 

Quick action by a policeman may have prevented former International Olympic Committee President Lord Killanin from choking on food at an Olympics reception last week.

 

Killanin, who turned 70 Monday, "stood up, leaned over and grabbed th

e table cloth... It was evident he was choking and having great difficulty breathing," police Cmdr. William Booth said Tuesday.

 

Detective Bill Pavelic, 36, a 10-year veteran of the department assigned to dignitary protection, "struck him three to four sharp blows at the proper place on his back and it dislodged the food," Booth said.

 

"A few minutes later, Lord Killanin was all right," he said.

 

Pavelic received a letter of commendation Tuesday from Edgar Best, security chief for the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, Booth said.

 

The incident occurred last Wednesday night at the First Interstate Foundation reception for the Olympics. Killanin did not require medical attention, Booth said.