The Sex Pistols turned down the chance to reunite at the Olympic Games opening ceremony in London in 2012 because the rockers were stunned by organisers' attempt to invite long-dead The Who drummer Keith Moon to perform.

The punk icons were invited to make a comeback at the star-studded launch of the sporting showpiece, but declined the offer.

Former bassist Glen Matlock has now revealed their decision was made after they heard about Olympic bosses' major blunder in inviting The Who to perform with their late drummer.

He tells Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper, "I heard that they wanted The Who to do it, they wanted Keith Moon to perform. But he's only been dead 20 years. They had asked us to perform but the story about Keith Moon and The Who didn't help their pitch to us. That was one of the reasons we said 'no'."

Moon died from an overdose of prescription drugs in 1978, at the age of 32.