AFP/Bangkok
Ex-Olympics boss Jacques Rogge said he trusted FIFA chief Sepp Blatter to “honour his word” yesterday and avoid a clash between the 2022 World Cup and that year’s Winter Olympics.
Rogge said Blatter had promised that the Qatar World Cup, which may be moved to the winter to avoid the desert state’s summer, would not come into conflict with the 2022 Winter Games.
“I’m sure that Sepp Blatter and Thomas Bach will find a good solution,” said Rogge, referring to his successor as head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“Let’s be clear: Sepp Blatter has pledged that he will not harm the Olympic Games, and by the way he’s also an IOC member. He will honour his word.” The 72-year-old Belgian was speaking in Bangkok after winning a lifetime achievement prize at the inaugural Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) awards show.
Debate is raging over 2022 with the World Cup timing influx. Beijing, considered favourite to host the 2022 Olympics, has said it would hold the tournament in February.
Blatter has not always been true to his word. In 2011, he promised his fourth term as FIFA president would be his last—but he is now standing for re-election next year.
Rogge also backed Bach’s Agenda 2020, a sweeping revamp aimed at modernising the Olympics through measures such as a dedicated TV channel and more flexibility on what sports are contested.
“I think it’s needed. From time to time, every organisation needs to rebuild itself,” Rogge said.
“Definitely I think it’s a very good idea that the TV channel is something that is needed now... we need to have attention for the Olympic movement in the periods between the Games,” he added.
“Flexibility for the bidding cities is a good idea, flexibility for the Olympic programmes is also a good idea so I think many good ideas will be approved.” Forty proposed changes will be made public next week before being put to the vote at the IOC’s extraordinary session in Monaco on December 8.
