Rogge rules out extinguishing torch relay
Thursday, August 7, 2008
IOC President Jacques Rogge on Tuesday ruled out stopping the torch relay altogether at future Olympics despite the trouble that dogged the event for the Beijing Games.
But he admitted that following disruptions during several legs of the relay for Beijing by human rights and pro-Tibet protestors that the International Olympic Committee would review the procedure of how it took place.
Most of the trouble occurred on the European legs, especially at the initial lighting of the flame in Greece which was a severe embarrassment to organisers.
Violent protests followed in London, Paris and San Francisco.
At the time Rogge said he was "very concerned" by China's crackdown in Tibet but also deplored the protests in San Francisco by stating that "the Games are about generosity".
However, Rogge admitted on Tuesday that something needed to be done so that such political demonstrations did not threaten the IOC's neutrality.
"The torch relay attracts media, the media coverage attracts protestors," said the three-time Olympic yachtsman, who steps down in October next year. "The executive board will study the conditions of the relay."
But the 65-year-old Belgian said that to strictly limit the relay to within the country where the Games were taking place would be naive.
"It would be wrong to think that by eliminating the international legs we will make all the problems disappear," he said.
Rogge has come in for criticism himself over revelations in the lead-up to the Games that the foreign media had been barred from viewing some politically sensitive websites by Chinese authorities.
Over the weekend Rogge denied he had struck a deal with the Beijing organisers to censor Internet sites.AFP
But he admitted that following disruptions during several legs of the relay for Beijing by human rights and pro-Tibet protestors that the International Olympic Committee would review the procedure of how it took place.
Most of the trouble occurred on the European legs, especially at the initial lighting of the flame in Greece which was a severe embarrassment to organisers.
Violent protests followed in London, Paris and San Francisco.
At the time Rogge said he was "very concerned" by China's crackdown in Tibet but also deplored the protests in San Francisco by stating that "the Games are about generosity".
However, Rogge admitted on Tuesday that something needed to be done so that such political demonstrations did not threaten the IOC's neutrality.
"The torch relay attracts media, the media coverage attracts protestors," said the three-time Olympic yachtsman, who steps down in October next year. "The executive board will study the conditions of the relay."
But the 65-year-old Belgian said that to strictly limit the relay to within the country where the Games were taking place would be naive.
"It would be wrong to think that by eliminating the international legs we will make all the problems disappear," he said.
Rogge has come in for criticism himself over revelations in the lead-up to the Games that the foreign media had been barred from viewing some politically sensitive websites by Chinese authorities.
Over the weekend Rogge denied he had struck a deal with the Beijing organisers to censor Internet sites.AFP
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