Gay app Grindr crashes as Olympic athletes arrive in London

Jul 22 2012 by Keir Mudie, The People

A gay dating website crashed within minutes of the first Olympic athletes arriving in London – due to the volume of demand, say experts.

The Grindr app enables gay men to obtain the locations of potential homosexual partners. Technicians believe the arrival of Olympic teams on Monday sparked a flood of new customers – and loss of the service in East London.

One Londoner said: “It happened almost as soon as the teams got here. Either loads of athletes were logging on to meet fellow Olympians or were looking to bag a local. The Grindr system obviously couldn’t cope. It took 24 hours for the app to get back up and running, much to the relief of all concerned.”

The site was launched in 2009 and claims to have four million customers worldwide. London is the most popular city for the app, with 350,000 registered users. The website ­advertises itself as a way to find “a new date, ­buddy or friend”. Founder Joel Simkhai said in Los Angeles: “I want to personally ­apologize to users. I know it was ­frustrating. I was ­frustrated myself. I also rely on Grindr in my day-to-day personal life. It made me feel disconnected. Our tech team worked around the clock to solve the problems and to whip Grindr back into shape.”

I also rely on Grindr in my day-to-day personal life.

Olympics have always been a fuck fest anyway

I always assumed that they abstained until after their events, but I guess not.

Grindr did crash in recent days, and the People UK story quoted from a Grindr blog post about the crash, but the post never actually mentions the Olympics or, you know, any relationship between the two events. Which is good, because, phew, we want those hard-working athletes to enjoy themselves in London!

I always assumed that they abstained until after their events, but I guess not.

Grindr is a dating app?

Awwww.....why let the truth spoil a good story...?

Let's be honest, though..there will be a good number of guys from the more repressive countries of the world who will find a couple of weeks in London very liberating. (after they've competed obvs.)

Thats why I wish I was in London.

Cock hunt the athletes. Who's with me?

Phelps is proof that human attributes are fairly distributed.

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean.
A mixture of positive and negative?

As in talent going to one, looks to another etc!

I thought it was something like that.
I could. And I wouldn't have to put a bag over his head either.

I'd be happier with Lochte

A deal! Let's get on to their agents.

Holy mackerel! The great Parsy pulling power failed?! /faints

It's sort of like a wolf on the prowl for a lamb. He has to wait until one wanders from the herd and then he can go in for a killing! They always walk around in groups.

at calling Grindr a 'dating' site. As if anyone one believes two men go onto such a site just to grab a coffee

I would watch a documentary of you "on the prowl." Anthony Hopkins narrating, perhaps?

David Attenborough.