IOC President Jacques Rogge delivers a speech at the seventh plenary session held by International Olympic Coordinating Committee at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Beijing, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2006.   Oct. 25 - International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge praised Beijing’s preparations for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games on his first visit to Beijing Tuesday since last October.

 

Rogge said, "when I speak to my IOC colleagues, particularly to chairman Verbruggen…they all tell me how impressed they are with the progress that our Chinese friends are making in developing the Beijing 2008 project."

 

Rogge was speaking at the opening of a three-day session of the IOC’s Coordination Commission chaired by Hein Verbruggen.

 

But Rogge said, "however, we should all remember that the Games are not judged solely by the technical proficiency of the project, but also through the perception that the world has of the Games." We must therefore ensure that while all the technical elements are in place, that we do not forget to look after the less tangible elements that will ultimately shape the world’s image of China and the Beijing Games”.

 

He said that Beijing would allow a much greater level of understanding to be created not just between the IOC and BOCOG, but also between China and the rest of the world.

 

Rogge also warned against complacency, saying "despite the great progress that BOCOG has so far been able to achieve, my experience throughout my Olympic career has been that it is extremely important not to take your eye off the ball, because it is often in the moments when you lose your focus that mistakes can creep in. I would therefore encourage BOCOG and the Chinese authorities to continue working diligently, as they currently are, towards hosting very successful Games."