SYDNEY, July 6: Sydney Olympics organizing president Michael Knight has apologized to American and Japanese schoolchildren axed from the opening ceremony but says the decision won't be reversed , reports AP.

About 1.300 Americans and 200 Japanese marching band members were booked to play at the opening ceremony, for next year's Summer Games on Sept 16. After a local outrage. SOCOG dropped the foreigners and has offered a compromise deal.

Twenty American and Japanese band leaders are in Sydney this week to be briefed by SOCOG chief executive Sandy Hollway on the compromise worked out with World Projects Corporation president Bill Lutt, who's responsible for assembling the band.

SOCOG wants the children to perform at prominent Sydney sites like the Opera House and Darling Harbour during the Games, although they would be excluded from Olympic venues including the opening ceremony.

The coordinator -of the Southern California school marching bands, Roy Anthony, has described the compromise as "unacceptable" and legal action has been threatened against SOCOG.

"It's Obviously as Japanese kids it's still the trople don't get way of these kids having a fantastic Australian Olympic experience."

"Our position is very clear — we’ve made a mistake, we've said we're sorry for the mistake, now we want to move on.”

Knight said he hoped the bands did not attempt legal action to have SOCOG honor its original contract.

"If we have to go to court we would strenuously defend our position but I don't believe that's likely." Knight said. "I think we will reach the compromise. I think that the overwhelming majority of kids would like to embrace the compromise."

When asked if there was any chance of SOCOG again changing its mind and allowing the foreigners to compete at the opening ceremony, Knight replied, "No. we've made a decision nearly two weeks ago at the board to remove the foreign musicians from the massed band during the opening ceremony and that decision stands."