Police stopped man approaching Biden at Games ceremony

VANCOUVER (Reuters) - A man wearing a fake pass to the Vancouver Olympics Opening Ceremony was apprehended when he attempted to get close to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, police said on Wednesday.

Biden was never in danger, and no charges have been filed against the unarmed man, whose mental health issues are believed to have prompted the incident, a spokesman for the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit said.

"This was an isolated incident committed by an individual with no malicious intent who was identified and removed by security," police sergeant Rich Graydon said in a statement.

Police had noticed the man acting suspiciously outside the stadium where the ceremony was held on Friday. He went through security screening to get in and officials are probing how he succeeded using a forged pass.

The screening looks for weapons, but the police and private security guards carrying it out do not check passes, which would have already been done at the entrance by workers for the Vancouver Organising Committee.

Police said they intercepted the man when he attempted to approach the area where Biden was sitting, and he was apprehended after he attempted to flee. He was about 12 rows of seating away from Biden when he was stopped.

Because the man had no intention of harming the Vice President, and his actions are believed to have been prompted by mental health problems police decided against filing any criminal charges, Graydon said.

U.S. Secret Service Agents guarding Biden told Olympic security they had no concerns about the incident, Graydon said.