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Beijing Olympics to complete Rogge's re-election as IOC chief
By John Bagratuni
Beijing (dpa) - The "heated debate" about Internet access for the media ahead of the Beijing Games may have been annoying for Jacques Rogge, but should be only a minor issue in his apparent plan for re- election as International Olympic Committee president.
"I am not going to apologize for something the IOC is not responsible for. We are not running the internet in China. Chinese authorities are running the internet in China," he told a news conference on Saturday.
The IOC has been criticized for its role before the Chinese finally started unblocking sides on Thursday after massive protests from the media.
As president, Rogge is the main man in the firing line and there have been suggestions that he may not be as good a diplomat as the previous boss Juan Antonio Samaranch - from whom he inherited the Beijing Games as that election in 2001 came three days ahead of his own.
Rogge was criticised for not speaking up swiftly over China's crushing of unrest in Tibet, got a battering from the Chinese for reminding them of their "moral obligation" and the notorious pollution issue has been prominent on the pre-Olympic agenda as well.
But it will be the overall impression of the Beijing Games which will play a role in his decision-making whether he will stand for re- election next year at the IOC Session in Copenhagen.
According to Rogge's words, it couldn't be better in the final countdown to 16 days of competition in China.
The IOC boss spoke of "excellent preparation of the Games" and named the athletes' village "by all accounts the best ever."
Barring major hitches, that would complete the final part of the puzzle towards re-election, as the 66-year-old Belgian surgeon outlined last month in an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
"I always said very clearly that I would take and announce a decision after Beijing because this is the last year of my mandate. Beijing will be one of the elements in judging whether I will run again or not."
"Have I been able to contribute to the success of the Olympic Games? I am glad about Salt Lake City, I am glad about Athens, I am glad about Turin. I believe Beijing will be a success. Beijing will count 25 per cent in the Games evaluation," he told dpa.
"Have I been able to contribute to the (Olympic) values? I believe that. The fight against doping has been stepped up by the IOC. The improvement of the judging and refereeing, what we did in ice skating, boxing, fencing, gymnastics, taekwondo."
In this respect bad news can be good news for the IOC boss, for instance the latest positive doping tests including seven Russian track and field athletes and Italian fencer Andrea Baldini.
"These are 17 cheats that will not falsify the competition. This is a deliberate action and I am glad to see a successful one," he said on Saturday.
The same applies to the internet controversy. Communist China may still bar its people from many websites but Rogge sees the positives in the lifting of restrictions for the Olympic media - a substantial part of them from the host nation.
"I believe this is unprecedented for this country," said Rogge.
Rogge also stressed success under his reign in other areas. The number of sports have been frozen at 28 under his reign, a new system has been developed to change sports at the Games, and the Youth Olympics will make their debut in 2010.
Money is obviously also a major factor since Samaranch turned the IOC into a highly profitable organization, with US broadcaster NBC for instance paying 900 million dollars for the Beijing rights.
"Financially the IOC is very good, we have 40 per cent more revenue than in the former Olympiad. We can redistribute that at a level of 94 per cent," Rogge told dpa.
Rogge has named his "silent diplomacy" a key in dealing with Chinese organizers, but the final chapter in his decision-making will now take place under the eyes of the world in Beijing.
Rogge, however, is convinced that all political, journalistic and environmental problems will take a back seat once "the magic of the Games in a flawless organisation will take over" after the opening ceremony.
By John Bagratuni
Beijing (dpa) - The "heated debate" about Internet access for the media ahead of the Beijing Games may have been annoying for Jacques Rogge, but should be only a minor issue in his apparent plan for re- election as International Olympic Committee president.
"I am not going to apologize for something the IOC is not responsible for. We are not running the internet in China. Chinese authorities are running the internet in China," he told a news conference on Saturday.
The IOC has been criticized for its role before the Chinese finally started unblocking sides on Thursday after massive protests from the media.
As president, Rogge is the main man in the firing line and there have been suggestions that he may not be as good a diplomat as the previous boss Juan Antonio Samaranch - from whom he inherited the Beijing Games as that election in 2001 came three days ahead of his own.
Rogge was criticised for not speaking up swiftly over China's crushing of unrest in Tibet, got a battering from the Chinese for reminding them of their "moral obligation" and the notorious pollution issue has been prominent on the pre-Olympic agenda as well.
But it will be the overall impression of the Beijing Games which will play a role in his decision-making whether he will stand for re- election next year at the IOC Session in Copenhagen.
According to Rogge's words, it couldn't be better in the final countdown to 16 days of competition in China.
The IOC boss spoke of "excellent preparation of the Games" and named the athletes' village "by all accounts the best ever."
Barring major hitches, that would complete the final part of the puzzle towards re-election, as the 66-year-old Belgian surgeon outlined last month in an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
"I always said very clearly that I would take and announce a decision after Beijing because this is the last year of my mandate. Beijing will be one of the elements in judging whether I will run again or not."
"Have I been able to contribute to the success of the Olympic Games? I am glad about Salt Lake City, I am glad about Athens, I am glad about Turin. I believe Beijing will be a success. Beijing will count 25 per cent in the Games evaluation," he told dpa.
"Have I been able to contribute to the (Olympic) values? I believe that. The fight against doping has been stepped up by the IOC. The improvement of the judging and refereeing, what we did in ice skating, boxing, fencing, gymnastics, taekwondo."
In this respect bad news can be good news for the IOC boss, for instance the latest positive doping tests including seven Russian track and field athletes and Italian fencer Andrea Baldini.
"These are 17 cheats that will not falsify the competition. This is a deliberate action and I am glad to see a successful one," he said on Saturday.
The same applies to the internet controversy. Communist China may still bar its people from many websites but Rogge sees the positives in the lifting of restrictions for the Olympic media - a substantial part of them from the host nation.
"I believe this is unprecedented for this country," said Rogge.
Rogge also stressed success under his reign in other areas. The number of sports have been frozen at 28 under his reign, a new system has been developed to change sports at the Games, and the Youth Olympics will make their debut in 2010.
Money is obviously also a major factor since Samaranch turned the IOC into a highly profitable organization, with US broadcaster NBC for instance paying 900 million dollars for the Beijing rights.
"Financially the IOC is very good, we have 40 per cent more revenue than in the former Olympiad. We can redistribute that at a level of 94 per cent," Rogge told dpa.
Rogge has named his "silent diplomacy" a key in dealing with Chinese organizers, but the final chapter in his decision-making will now take place under the eyes of the world in Beijing.
Rogge, however, is convinced that all political, journalistic and environmental problems will take a back seat once "the magic of the Games in a flawless organisation will take over" after the opening ceremony.
