President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge said that the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be a significant force for good in China, but it can not be expected to resolve all the issues facing the country.
Rogge said, however, that it was absolutely legitimate for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and human-rights groups to bring attention to their causes both now and at Games time.
"We believe the Games are going to move ahead the agenda of the social and human rights as far as possible, the Games are going to be a force for good. But the Games are not a panacea," Rogge told Reuters in an interview in Beijing on Monday.
Related readings: Olympics also a great marketing forum Food safety assurance for Games China blacklists 400 exporters Nations join on food, drug safety Most vegetables safe: Official Exports reflect 'safety of products' This week's start of the one-year countdown to the Games has brought with it the release of several reports from NGOs, many calling on the IOC to demand action on issues such as environment and more media freedom .
IOC President Jacques Rogge(C), Beijing Olympics organizing committee president Liu Qi(L2), China Sports Administration chief Liu Peng(R2), Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan(R) and Denis Oswald attend the opening ceremony of the 2007 World Youth Rowing Championship, a text match for next year's Beijing Olympics.The photo was taken on August 7, 2007. [Xinhua]
"One shouOlympics also a great marketing forum ld not forget that we are a sports organization," Rogge said. "We are not a government, we are not the representative of all the NGOs of the world.
"We respect their point of view, we stand for human rights, we stand for strict social values, but we are only a sports organization."
Rogge said he "could not be more happy" about the state of preparations in Beijing, especially in the fundamental aspects of running the Games such as venue construction.
"They are well ahead of schedule, the infrastructure is there, there is still a little bit of work to do on the Olympic Stadium, but that will be ready in March," he said.
"Since I've been involved in Games preparations, which is since Sydney, they are the best prepared of all," he added.
As Beijing witnessed another day of heavy smog, Rogge said his main concern was the environment and particularly air pollution in the Chinese capital.
But he was confident that measures undertaken by the Beijing government to rid the city of pollution over the last few years and special measures in August next year would deliver clean air.
"There is a positive trend, and I really do hope and believe that this positive trend will continue," he said. "They still have a full year to run. I have confidence that their strategy will yield success. I'm optimistic for Games time."
Rogge visits Beijing No.4 High School on August 6, 2007. [Reuters]
Indeed, Rogge hopes a change in the way the Chinese approach environmental issues will be one of the "intangible" legacies of the Games. "The intangible is the acceptance of procedures, norms and standards that were not here before, especially in the field of the environment," he said.
A sporting legacy would come as a result of the Sport for All program in China, a "mind-blowing" project that was reaching "hundreds of millions" of people, he said.
He also foresaw benefits for the Olympic movement. "We are bringing the Olympics to one-fifth of mankind, we have an education program based on sport and Olympic values in no less than 500,000 schools, we are hoping 400 million children will benefit from this," he said.
One of the possible blights of any sporting event in the modern era is doping, and Rogge said the series of scandals at the Tour de France was a timely reminder for the IOC.
