Rogge Returns to Spotlight; Swiss Bid Changes Name; Olympics Thieves Arrested

Rogge Makes First High-Profile Appearance Since Surgery

IOC president Jacques Rogge made his first high-profile public appearance since hip replacement surgery in early September at the IOC World Conference on Sport, Culture and Education in Amsterdam.

The Belgian canceled appearances in Barcelona and Rio de Janeiro due to health concerns following the procedure. His last public appearance was at the London Paralympics.

Rogge opened the conference in Amsterdam on Nov. 25.

"This eighth World Conference on Sport, Culture and Education is a great chance to share ideas on how to tap the full potential of the power of sport to be a force for good," he said.

"We will explore new ways to engage young people in a rapidly changing world. We will reassert the educational and cultural power of sport," added Rogge.

"Policy, Practice, Potential" is the theme of the conference, which runs until Tuesday.

"In our modern societies, the educational role of sport is no longer a philosophical principle, but a true reality," said Lambis Nikolau, chairman of theIOC Commission for Culture and Olympic Education.

"Our challenge is to find the right way and the right means to bring young people back to physical education and sport."

The conference is co-organized with UNESCO, and the organization’s secretary general, Irina Bokova, lent her endorsement for sport Sunday.

"Sport brings everyone together in a spirit of respect, equality and understanding. It carries a message of peace that crosses borders and reaches out to all," she said.

"In these ways, I see sport as a powerful multiplier for education and for intercultural dialogue. It is a building block for healthy and inclusive societies."

Tuesday’s plenary sessions focus on the future of sport, including a session on using social media.

Swiss Bid Name Change

The Swiss bid for the 2022 Olympic bid will change its name from Grisons to St. Moritz, if the canton approves the bid.

A referendum is scheduled for March 3.

The city of Grisons is located in the canton of St. Moritz, but polling suggests the bid is most popular in the city, not canton-wide.

"That’s the name only at first," Joerg Schild, president of the Swiss Olympic Association, told Sportcal.

"In the month of March they will vote in Grisons and then we will have a host city. If the people say yes, we will have St Moritz 2022. Now it’s too early.

"We have to be sure that the people in the canton will vote yes. For me, it’s the highest goal in this period. We have to show our project to the IOC later, and then it will not be Grisons/Graubünden. Then it will be St. Moritz 2022."

Olympic History Thieves Arrested

Three thieves believed to have stolen goods from the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, site of the ancient Olympics, were arrested.

Spyros Capralos, president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, confirmed the development to Around the Rings, saying all 67 stolen artifacts were discovered.

"This is good news for the Olympic Movement, as the stolen items were important for the history of the Olympic Games," he said.

Written by Ed Hula III.

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