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IOC's 116th session held in Athens
IOC president Jacques Rogge warned on Monday that the Olympic movement is still threatned by "dangers" although the Games are getting more and more influential. Rogge said at the opening ceremony of the IOC's 116th session that while sports are a success in terms of participation, audience and finance, it is still threatend by "dangers we need to combat".
"These dangers are threats to security, gigantism, doping and ethical viloations," he said. "We would be wrong, however, to give way to feelings of euphoria or complacency." He praised the "unprecedented efforts" made by the Greek government for the Athens Games, the first Summer Games since the September 11 attack on the United States. "Security has been, and remains the number one priority at the Games. The IOC has full confidence in the Greek government, which has the final responsibility in this and has made an unprecedented effort," he said. "These efforts are justified, as, going beyond the Games, what is at stake is protecting society, democracy, civilisation and freedom," he added. But Rogge spent longer time driving home the importance of continuing battle against doping and corruption. "Sports must confront the dangers that threaten its values, especially in the areas of doping and ethics," he said. His comments came only two days after Bulgarian IOC member Ivan Slavkov was suspended of his membership after being implicated in the alleged attempt to influecne votes in the campagin for the 2012 Olympics.
Slavkov was shown in the "Panorama" program of BBC discussing with an agent and undercover BBC reporters on how votes could be bought in the 2012 Olympic bid. The BBC report, who was broadcast nine days before the Athens Olympics, is the latest corruption allegation against IOC since the notorious Salt Lake City scandal which broke out in late 1998 and led to the ouster of 10 members from the IOC. Rogge has made no secret of his anger that the IOC had once again been linked with corruption. "You see in front of you an angry man. Angry at the behaviour of some people within and without the IOC. I'm angry because the behaviour of some is tarnishing what is a wonderful movement. It's also very sad to see some people don't respect the rules," said Rogge. In his address at the opening ceremony, Rogge tried to look on the positive side of the anti-doping campaign. "The news recently has been marked by a growing number of positive doping cases. Paradoxically this is an encouraging sign that the fight against doping is gaining ground and that it is becoming increasingly hard to cheat. "Let us continue to increase education, prevention and punishment with additional doping controls and scientific research," said Rogge. "Let us respect and ensure respect of strict ethics, and sanction the athletes and sports leaders who do not do so." Rogge added that efforts should be continued to control the size and cost of the Games, which has developed to the extent of gigantism. "The first measures have already been implemented here in Athens and will allow for substanital savings to the organsing committee's operating budgets, making the Games easier to organise." |
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