LONDON — Perhaps the cruelest paradox of Mitt Romney’s overseas debut — in which he prompted a news media frenzy by casting doubt on Britain’s Olympic preparedness — is that no one loves the Olympics more than Mr. Romney.

He talks about the Olympics frequently on the campaign trail. He ran the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, and has attended all the Games for the past decade. He insisted on heading abroad for this year’s opening ceremony, against the advice of some aides who worried about leaving the country in the middle of such a heated presidential election.

So what could account for his candid statement that he found the state of some of London’s preparations “disconcerting”? Mr. Romney has misspoken before, despite his highly disciplined, analytical and cautious campaign. But it may be the very consultant-cool personality of his campaign that has helped propel Mr. Romney’s Olympic-size gaffe.

Throughout the election cycle, Mr. Romney’s team has tried to build a low-risk campaign — refusing to release more than two years’ tax returns, holding infrequent news conferences, limiting the national news media’s access to him and now planning a foreign trip whose first stop included few public events.