IOC Wants Open Internet Says Rogge in Beijing

Jacques Rogge says "there has been no deal whatsoever to accept restrictions" on internet access for journalists covering the Olympics in China. (ATR) (ATR) IOC President Jacques Rogge tries to assuage journalist fears about internet access at the Beijing Olympics while praising preparations for the 2008 Games, six days away from opening.

The IOC President spoke following a pre-Games meeting of the Executive Board which finished its agenda planned for two days in a single day, unprecedented in the recent annals of the EB.

Questions about the controversy over access of internet sites by journalists covering the Games dominated the 35-minute briefing, but Rogge also touched upon new doping cases, Iraq’s participation at the Games and the possibility of athlete protests in Beijing.

IOC Aims for "Fullest Possible" Internet Access

IOC President Jacques Rogge moves to clear up confusion over internet censorship for reporters covering the Games, saying BOCOG is meeting its pledge to "provide the fullest possible access".

"Let me be very clear on this, we required the different media have the fullest access possible to report the Olympic Games," he told reporters.

"I am adamant in saying there has been no deal whatsoever to accept restrictions. Our requirements are the same from host city to host city and remain unchanged for Beijing," he said.

The Chinese authorities seeming reluctance to lift blocks on politically sensitive websites has infuriated members of the international media who argue that they cannot do their job properly.

Acknowledging the "heated debate" over media freedom that has made headlines worldwide, Rogge says he is glad to see an improvement in internet access compared to Tuesday.

Sites including the BBC’s Chinese language site and Amnesty International are now accessible to media reporting in the Main Press Center and other Olympic venues, along with Wikipedia and those of various NGOs.

But a raft of websites are still blocked, especially those relating to pro-Tibet organizations and anti-China groups.

Rogge admits that the IOC may have been naïve to expect the Chinese authorities to open up websites without IOC pressure fueled by the media outrage.

"I would say we are idealists and idealism is something linked with some naivety. We fight for the cause which we believe is important, the possibility for you the media people to work in the best possible way."

The IOC press commission chair issued an apology to the media over internet access earlier this week. Gosper told reporters that he suspected a deal had been done between the IOC and the Chinese.

But Rogge says he will not make an apology: "We are not running the internet in China. It’s the Chinese authorities."

Drug Cheats Being Nabbed Before the Games

Rogge says a raft of pre-Games drug busts shows the success of the biggest ever anti-doping testing regime for an Olympics.

Around 17 positive cases have resulted from the doping tests in the build-up to the Games, he confirms.

He rebuffs suggestions that it may be part of plans to ensure there are no further medals tainted by doping. American athletes Marion Jones and Antonio Pettigrew were among those stripped of medals after doping at the Sydney Olympics.

"This is a result of a deliberate strategy and policy," he told reporters. "The IOC has asked the international federations, who have responded extremely well, to do a maximum of doping testing before even the Olympic Village was open.

"These are 17 cheats that will not falsify the completion. I am glad to see it is successful."

Rogge says the reallocation of medals from those athletes found to have doped at the 2000 Games should take place later this year. Some 30 athletes IOC communications director Giselle Davies conducts the press conference at the Main Press Center in Beijing. (ATR)stand to gain from the redistribution of medals.

"We are waiting to finalize this issue because we are still expecting potential news coming out of the BALCO case," he says.

"Our juridical experts are telling us that once the case is initiated by the disciplinary commission, this extends the length of the statutory limitations rule. We are not hindered by that whatsoever."

Rogge says he wants to have justice "with all facts being known" and insists "the athletes who are clean will be rewarded".

Iraq May Send More Athletes to Beijing

After a deal was brokered this week to end the suspension of the National Olympic Committee of Iraq, Rogge said there is a possibility of at least another athlete joining the four-member team in Beijing.

He says a weightlifter might be able to compete in China if an opening occurs in the total quota of the sport for Beijing, perhaps by injury or some other circumstance.

Two competitors in athletics and two in rowing are supposed to compete in Beijing.

The IOC president said he was unaware of efforts of Niran Al Sammarai, wife of Ahmed Al Sammarai, the kidnapped president of the NOCI, to come to Beijing. She says repeated inquiries to the IOC have been met with silence. Rogge promised to look into the possibility. Al Sammarai was kidnapped in July 2006 and has not been heard from since.

USOC Negotiations Expected in Beijing

The IOC president says that talks with the U.S. Olympic Committee over a new formula to determine its share of revenues from IOC marketing and TV revenues will be held in Beijing once USOC chair Peter Ueberroth arrives in the next few days.

He says Ueberroth will meet with Mario Vazquez Rana, president of the Association of National Olympic Committees and Denis Oswald of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations. Both NOCs and the sports federations are pressing for a new deal with the USOC and IOC, arguing that $306 million the USOC receives every four years is excessive.

Athlete Protests Allowed, In the Right Place

With word from France that some athletes may wear badges or emblems protesting Chinese human rights policies during the opening ceremony, the IOC president noted that there were plenty of places for them to express their views outside the Olympic venue.

"If they want to criticize China, there is no problem with that…I am simply asking them not to go into propaganda exercises [in the stadium]."

Rogge says demonstrations in the stadiums or the Olympic Village would result in "the end of all harmony in the Games and the Olympic Village."

Praise for Olympic Village

Rogge delivers high praise for the organization of the Games, saying he has no concerns and adding that the Olympic Village Rogge says the Olympic Village where he will sleep during the Games is "the best ever". (ATR)where he is staying for the duration of the Olympics is the "best ever".

"It is really outstanding," he says.

Rogge says he has no worries that air pollution issues will stop athletes from taking part in the opening ceremony. The teams representing 205 national Olympic committees is a record for an Olympics.

He expects up to 9000 athletes to participate in the parade, which will last about 130 minutes. Some of the 10,500 or so athletes will only arrive in the second week for their events. Others may not participate because their events begin the next day or they may be competing at remote venues such as the sailing venue in Qingdao or equestrian in Hong Kong.

Written by Ed Hula and Mark Bisson

For general comments or questions, click here