The Austrian Olympic committee has said its Vienna office received an anonymous letter that contains a kidnap threat against two of its athletes. The letter warns that alpine skier Marlies Schild and skeleton rider Janine Flock will be kidnapped during the Sochi Winter Olympics, which begin next week.

"The letter was delivered into our mailbox. We have immediately alerted the Federal Criminal Agency, which is investigating the case, " said the AOC general secretary, Peter Mennel. Mennel went on to say the athletes will be accompanied by a counter-terrorism unit when outside the Olympic village.

The threats to Austrain athletes follow on from threatening emails sent last month to several Olympic committees – both European and the United States. Olympic chiefs insist the threats are considered to represent a major danger to athletes.

Image: Marlies Schild, Austrian alpine skier