Rogge Says IOC has "Moral Responsibility" to Stage Safe Games

(ATR) IOC President Jacques Rogge says there is a “moral responsibility” to deliver safe venues for the Olympic Games. He spoke in a wide-ranging briefing Thursday with reporters in Vancouver.

Rogge’s comments come in the aftermath of the fatal Feb. 12 crash of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili during a training run at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

While pilot error might have led to his loss of control over his sled, questions remain about whether the design of the track contributed to the crash and his death.

“We are morally responsible,” Rogge said.

“Our responsibility is to make sure that no unnecessary risks are taken. There will always be risks in sport. But it has to be reasonable and the athletes take a lot of risks themselves. “Sometimes they go beyond their own possibilities and their own skills. But have to protect them sometimes against themselves,” he said.

The IOC President says a three-pronged inquiry from the British Columbia Coroner, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the International Luge Federation is now underway.

Rogge says the IOC has already asked that Sochi deliver a track for the 2014 Olympics with athlete safety in mind.

“I think the IOC has been very clear in saying to the Russians please deliver us a track that is not hazardous.

"We never asked for more speed from the IOC, definitely.

"This is something that clearly emanated from the international federation who approved the designs but that is not the feeling of the IOC."

Rogge says that the tragedy on the opening day of the Games will forever be linked to Vancouver, as have tragedies in other Olympics.

“What happened in Munich is part of the Games, what happened in Atlanta is part of the Games.

“At the same time we should be fair to the organizers and the athletes. VANOC did a great job and the athletes had great Games, but you cannot isolate them from what has happened,” said Rogge.

New Sports, NHL Future

The IOC President says the IOC supports the participation of the NHL in the Olympic hockey tournament, but that there is time to decide if the partnership continues for the Sochi Olympics.

“I’ve had a meeting with [NHL President] Gary Bettman and [ice hockey federation president] Rene Fasel. This was not a final discussion. We still have plenty of time, four years’ time to find a solution. But, yes it is the wish of the IOC,” Rogge said, noting that ratings for the gold medal of Olympic hockey are higher than those for the Stanley Cup.

He says he supports theaddition of women’s ski jumping for the 2014 Olympics, as long as there’s growth in the number of elite athletes for the sport. The IOC rejected efforts to include the event at the Vancouver Olympics, citing a limited number of jumpers.

But despite yet another showdown between Canada and the U.S. for the women’s hockey gold medal, Rogge says the event should remain in the Olympics as long as thenumber of competitve nations in the sport grow.

He said that the X-Games event of slopestyle skiing is being considered for future winter Games.

But he raised doubts about bandy, which is similar to hockey except that a ball instead of a puck is shot into a net. Rogge says the sport, popular in Russia and Scandinavia, may not enjoy the universality needed for the Olympics.

Own the Podium a Good Idea

Despite the failure of Canada to win the most medals at the VancouverGames, Rogge says he supports the concept behind the Own the Podium program in Canada.

“I’ve always been a strong proponent of Own the Podium program, because that is something Canada needs,” he said.

“There seems to be a disappointment in that there was a promise of first place and the biggest number of medals. That might have been a little bit over ambitious. But without own the podium, you may legitimately ask the question if Canada would have won a gold medal,” said Rogge.

He acknowledged that Russia needs to launch its own version Own the Podium to prepare for Sochi. While fifth in the Vancouver medals table, Russia will not medal in hockey and its athletes in other sports have not performed up to expectations.

“The Russians know how important this is, not just to please the outside world. It will serve to ignite the interest of the games in the home country,” he said.

“I think we should not underestimate the knowledge of sport of the Russians. It’s in four years’ time and I trust they will be ready in time,” Rogge said.

The Vancouver Legacy is Positive

With still four days left till the Games finish, Rogge say it's too early to say how the Games will be remembered.

Notable, he says, is what he calls “the communion of the citizens of Vancouver” with the Games, the way people have flocked to the streets to celebrate the Olympics.

And he says sponsors, media, athletes seem happy.

“When I listen all our stakeholders they are all happy,” he says.

Rogge will appear before the press one more time at a closing press conference set for Sunday, the last day of the Games.

Written by Ed Hula.