Michael Buble - Stars Line Up For Olympic Torch Race

Canadian singer MICHAEL BUBLE and actor/politician ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER are joining in the celebrations at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Canada - they will take part in the torch relay race ahead of the opening ceremony.

Schwarzenegger will be one of the runners ferrying the Olympic flame to the city of Vancouver before the event kicks off at the BC Place venue on Friday (12Feb10), while Canadian native Buble will take part in the race on Thursday (11Feb10).

Organisers have stepped up security around the celebrity runners over fears the race will be targeted by protesters, many of whom are Canadians unhappy with the amount of money that has been spent on organising the event.

John Furlong, chief executive of the organising committee, says, "If people come to express their views, we hope it's respectful and it's done peacefully. We hope that people who have waited 10 years to see the ceremonies will be allowed to do so.

"We have a great security team and they will determine how it's managed in and outside the BC Place."

The Olympic torch relay ahead of the 2008 games in Beijing, China was marred by disruption along the route, with many demonstrators attempting to ambush runners and extinguish the flame in protest at China's occupation of Tibet.