The head of the Syrian Olympic Committee, General Mofwak Joumaa, has been refused a visa to the UK, reports The Times on Saturday.
Home Office sources reportedly said the visa was refused due to General Joumaa's senior military rank and links to the Assad regime.
General Joumaa and his delegation of 31 officials had intended to attend the opening ceremony for the London 2012 games next month.
Speaking to The Times last month in Damascus, General Joumaa said that the video clips of the anti-government protests had given Britain the 'wrong impression of events in Syria', and added, "What happened in some cities like Homs is that people broke the law."