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Rogge: Beijing Olympics 'a force for good'
(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-08-07 11:39
"I expect some positive cases in Beijing, that would be the sign that our testing is accurate, that our testing is efficient and that we are cleaning up the Games and that we are kicking out the cheats," he said. "There are still some loopholes, but one has to say that it is extremely difficult to cheat and to get away with it."
The Belgian, who competed in sailing at three Olympic Games, clearly has little time for discussions over whether the US or China will top the medals table next August.
"The spirit of the Olympic Games ... is not about nations, it's not about continents, it's not about supremacy," he said. "It's about the pursuit of excellence by individuals who train very hard for that and do that within the Olympic spirit of fair play, brotherhood."
Asked how he would like the Beijing Games to go down in history, the 65-year-old orthopedic surgeon said: "I would like the Games to be held in peace, in maximum security, with the least number of doping cases possible. And definitely with great athletic prowess, with great champions emerging, because that's the great magic of the Games.
"And if at the same time we can have a situation where the world at large discovers China, and its values and its assets, then I will be a very happy man."
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