Whether a cigar in Arnold Schwarzenegger's mouth at an Austrian airport was lit or not could decide whether he faces legal action.

Smoking at airports is banned in Austria and an anti-smoking lobby said it plans to launch a suit against the former California governor for puffing on the cigar after arriving in June at Salzburg Airport.

But officials suggested the case would get nowhere.

Salzburg municipal legal expert Josef Goldberger said Mr Schwarzenegger can ignore any requests from authorities in his homeland to respond since the charge is not covered by treaties.

An airport spokesman Alexander Klaus, meanwhile, said the cigar was out.

"Burning cigars smoke and there were no puffs for Schwarzenegger," he said.

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