located near the Olympic village, the Sin Bin sports bar takes the tap handles off the beer towers around 2:30 a.m., but continues to pour hard liquor around the clock.

among the athletes taking advantage of the relaxed interpretation of Vancouver and B.C. liquor laws Tuesday night/Wednesday morning were Canadian figure skating gold-medallist Scott Moir.

Hanging out with a liquored-up Moir at the back table were fellow Canadian Patrick Chan, who placed fifth in the free skate, and American Jeremy Abbott, who placed 11th.

The Publican didn’t catch a glimpse of Moir’s partner Tessa Virtue, though another patron said she was there.

Norway’s Hedda Berntsen, the first-ever silver medallist in women’s ski cross, hung out in the VIP room while one of her friends bought two bottles of bubbly.

Berntsen’s cousin from Philadelphia told The Publican a member of the group was practising sabring, and the bottles were brought back from the VIP room with the necks shattered.

by 4 a.m., the place was packed.

tables were full, and thirsty customers — including people wearing Vanoc accreditation and members of various Olympic teams — stood crowding the entrance and thronged the busy bar.

bartenders were overwhelmed. one of them worried out loud that the place would be shut down, and they ignored the mob on the other side of the wood.

which is when The Publican took his leave, only to see cabs deliver more people to the out-of-the-way bar, nearly two blocks east of Cambie Street, on the corner of Second Avenue and Crowe Street.

a 17% auto-gratuity is applied to food purchases, which makes the Sin Bin one of the #2010profiteers, but the experience almost makes it worthwhile.

the Sin Bin is open 24 hours a day until March 1, according to a sign posted on the side of the building.