:Jacques Rogge

{{Infobox president

| honorific-prefix = His Excellency Count

| honorific-suffix = KCMG OLY

| image = 14-01-10-tbh-263-jacques-rogge.jpg

| caption = Rogge in 2014

| order =

| office = 8th President of the International Olympic Committee

| term_start = 16 July 2001

| term_end = 10 September 2013

| predecessor = Juan Antonio Samaranch

| successor = Thomas Bach

| office2 = Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee

| term_start2 = 10 September 2013

| term_end2 = 29 August 2021

| president2 = Thomas Bach

| predecessor2 = Vacant, last held by Juan Antonio Samaranch (2010)

| successor2 = Vacant, next held by Thomas Bach (2025)

| birth_name = Jacques Jean Marie Rogge

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1942|5|2}}

| birth_place = Ghent, Belgium

| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|8|29|1942|5|2|df=y}}

| death_place = Deinze, Belgium

| nationality = Belgian

| spouse = Anne Bovyn

| children = 2

| residence =

| alma_mater = University of Ghent

| profession = Orthopedic surgeon
Sports administrator

| occupation =

| signature =

| website =

| footnotes =

}}

Jacques Jean Marie, Count Rogge ({{IPA|fr|ʒɑk ʁɔɡ|lang}}, {{IPA|nl|ʑɑk ˈrɔɣə|lang|Nl-rogge.ogg}}; 2 May 1942 – 29 August 2021) was a Belgian sports administrator, former athlete, and physician, who served as the eighth president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 2001 to 2013. In 2013, Rogge became the IOC's honorary president, a lifetime position, which he held until his death from Parkinson's disease in August 2021.

Early life and education

Rogge was born on 2 May 1942 in Ghent, Belgium amid the Nazi German occupation during World War II. He was the son of Suzanne and Charles Rogge, an engineer. Rogge was by profession an orthopedic surgeon and was educated at the Jesuit private school Sint-Barbaracollege and the University of Ghent.{{cite web|access-date=21 January 2018

|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/jacques-rogge-the-quiet-olympian-7982423.html

|title=Jacques Rogge: The quiet Olympian |first=Brian |last=Viner|date= 27 July 2012|work=Independent}}

Career

Rogge was a noted athlete in his home country. He was a 16-time Belgian national champion in rugby and a one-time yachting world champion. He also competed in the Finn class of sailing on three Summer Olympic Games; in 1968, 1972, and 1976.

Rogge served as president of the Belgian Olympic Committee from 1989 to 1992, and as president of the European Olympic Committees from 1989 to 2001. He became a member of the IOC in 1991 and joined its executive board in 1998. He was knighted in 1992, and in 2002 made a count in the Belgian nobility by King Albert II.{{cite web |url=http://www.coaf.us/activities10.html |title=College of Arms Foundation - Activities |website=Coaf.us |access-date=22 August 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910015543/http://www.coaf.us/activities10.html |archive-date=10 September 2011}} When Rogge stepped down as President of the IOC he was awarded by his successor a gold Olympic Order.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/9658153/germany-thomas-bach-elected-international-olympic-committee-president|title=Germany's Bach elected new IOC president|date=10 September 2013}}

=President of the IOC (2001–2013)=

File:Vladimir Putin 16 July 2001-15.jpg and Vladimir Putin following Rogge's election as IOC President in 2001]]

Rogge was elected as President of the IOC on 16 July 2001 at the 112th IOC Session in Moscow as the successor to Juan Antonio Samaranch, who had previously led the IOC since 1980.{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/in_depth/2001/olympic_votes/1440681.stm|title = Rogge secures Olympic presidency|date = 16 July 2001}}

At the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Rogge became the first ever IOC President to stay in the Olympic village, thereby enjoying closer contact with the athletes.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/21/sports/olympics-rogge-given-authority-to-cancel-the-olympics.html|title=Olympics; Rogge Given Authority To Cancel the Olympics|newspaper=The New York Times|date=21 September 2001|access-date=28 July 2009}}

In October 2009, Rogge was re-elected for a new term as President of the IOC.

In 2011, a Forbes magazine list of the 68 most powerful people in the world listed Rogge at no. 67.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/wealth/powerful-people/gallery/jacques-rogge#gallerycontent|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105194601/http://www.forbes.com/wealth/powerful-people/gallery/jacques-rogge#gallerycontent|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 November 2010|title=Forbes Powerful People|website=Forbes.com|access-date=22 August 2016 |year=2011}}

On 27 July 2011, one year prior to London 2012, Rogge attended a ceremony at Trafalgar Square where he invited athletes worldwide to compete in the forthcoming Olympic Games. Former Olympians the Princess Royal and Sebastian Coe unveiled the medals up for grabs, after both Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Boris Johnson had given speeches.

In December 2011, Rogge was invested as an Officer of the Legion of Honour by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.{{cite web |url=http://www.aroundtherings.com/articles/view.aspx?id=38849 |title=Rogge Awarded Legion of Honor; Arab Games End; Pin Points |website=Aroundtherings.com |access-date=22 August 2016 |archive-date=31 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031165017/http://www.aroundtherings.com/articles/view.aspx?id=38849 |url-status=dead }}

On 10 September 2013, Rogge came to an end of his IOC presidency at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina after the session awarded the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics (Later postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic in Japan). German lawyer, former foil fencer, and Olympic gold medalist Thomas Bach was elected as the new IOC President at the session.{{cite web|last=Zaccardi|first=Nick|title=Thomas Bach elected as ninth IOC president|url=http://olympictalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/10/thomas-bach-elected-international-olympic-committee-rep/|work=NBC OlympicTalk|date=10 September 2013|access-date=10 September 2013}} Rogge was then made Lifetime Honorary President of the IOC, a position which he held until his death in 2021.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesbids.com/eng/other_news/1216136766.html |title=GamesBids.com - Coates Becomes Vice President, DeFrantz Joins Executive Board and Rogge is Honorary President |access-date=10 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914035155/http://www.gamesbids.com/eng/other_news/1216136766.html |archive-date=14 September 2013}}

==Controversies==

;PRC internet censorship

For the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China, Rogge pronounced in mid-July 2008 that there would be no Internet censorship by PRC government authorities: "for the first time, foreign media will be able to report freely and publish their work freely in China". However, by 30 July 2008, IOC spokesman Kevan Gosper had to retract this optimistic statement, admitting that the Internet would indeed be censored for journalists.{{cite web |url=http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/region/asiapacific/080730-IOC-Web_Censorship |title=IOC admits internet censorship deal with China – Radio Netherlands Worldwide – English |publisher=Radionetherlands.nl |date=30 July 2008 |access-date=13 February 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080921082534/http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/region/asiapacific/080730-IOC-Web_Censorship |archive-date=21 September 2008 |url-status=dead}} Gosper, who said he had not heard about this, suggested that high IOC officials (probably including the Dutch Hein Verbruggen and IOC Director of the Olympic Games, Gilbert Felli, and most likely with Rogge's knowledge) had made a secret deal with PRC officials to allow the censorship, without the knowledge of either the press or most members of the IOC.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24110428-2702,00.html|title=IOC lies on web access have hurt my reputation|first=Kevan|last=Gosper|newspaper=The Australian|date=1 August 2008|access-date=25 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603060643/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24110428-2702,00.html|archive-date=3 June 2009|url-status=dead}} Rogge later denied that any such meeting had taken place, but failed to insist that the PRC adhere to its prior assurances that the Internet would not be censored.

The play Dear Mr. Rogge, written by Dinah Lee Küng in 2012, depicts an imprisoned PRC dissident who wrote a letter challenging Rogge to walk from the Birds Nest stadium to Beijing Prison No. 2 in order to check the truth of Rogge's claim that hosting the Olympics would serve as a catalyst only for good in the country.Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Rogge-about-Olympics-Power-Truth-ebook/dp/B006UT0HSK

;Criticism of Bolt's jubilation

Rogge commented that Usain Bolt's gestures of jubilation and excitement{{clarify|date=July 2021}} after winning the 100 meters in Beijing are "not the way we perceive being a champion," and also said "that he should show more respect for his competitors."{{cite news|title=One powerful man who does seem to be on top of things|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0523/1224247218291.html |url-access=subscription |newspaper=Irish Times|date=23 May 2009|access-date=28 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126195610/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0523/1224247218291.html |archive-date= 26 January 2013 }} In response to his comments, Yahoo! Sports columnist, Dan Wetzel, who covered the Games, described him as "a classic stiff-collared bureaucrat," and further contended that "[the IOC] has made billions off athletes such as Bolt for years, yet he has to find someone to pick on".{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news;_ylt=AmqY.ZiDfv9TOx6kMMTfER.VTZd4?slug=dw-olympicswinnerslosers082408&prov=yhoo&type=lgns|title=Beijing Olympics' winners and losers|publisher=Yahoo! Sports!|date=24 August 2008|first=Dan|last=Wetzel}} In an interview with Irish Times' reporter Ian O'Riordan, Rogge clarified, "Maybe there was a little bit of a misunderstanding.... What he does before or after the race I have no problem with. I just thought that his gesticulation during the race was maybe a little disrespectful".

;Munich Massacre moment of silence

Rogge rejected calls for a minute of silence to be held to honor the 11 Israeli Olympians killed 40 years prior in the Munich massacre, during the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics. He did this despite the standing request of the families of the 11 Israeli Olympic team members and political pressure from the United States, Britain, and Germany, stating: "We feel that the opening ceremony is an atmosphere that is not fit to remember such a tragic incident." Speaking of the decision, Israeli Olympian Shaul Ladany, who had survived the Munich massacre, commented: "I do not understand. I do not understand, and I do not accept it."{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/27/sport/olympics-2012-munich-shaul-ladany-survivor |author=James Montague |title=The Munich massacre: A survivor's story |publisher=CNN |date= 5 September 2012|access-date=25 February 2013}} Rogge and the IOC instead opted for a ceremony at Guildhall, London, on 6 August, and one at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base on the anniversary of the attack, 5 September.{{cite news|last=Wilson|first=Stephen|title=1972 Olympics Munich Massacre Anniversary: IOC President Jacques Rogge Rules Out Minute Of Silence|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/21/olympics-opening-ceremony-israel-munich-ioc-deny_n_1692378.html|newspaper=Huffington Post|date=21 July 2012}}

Later life

On 25 February 2014, the Princess Royal presented him with his appointment as an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) at Buckingham Palace in London for his years of service to the Olympics and in particular for his work on 2012 London Summer Olympic Games.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/hrh-the-princess-royal-honours-jacques-rogge-at-buckingham-palace |title=HRH The Princess Royal honours Jacques Rogge at Buckingham Palace - News articles |website=GOV.UK |date=26 February 2014 |access-date=22 August 2016}} On 28 April, Rogge was also appointed Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, to help promote sport as an empowerment tool for youth from displaced and refugee communities towards peace, reconciliation, security, health, education, gender equality, and a more inclusive society.{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2014/sga1459.doc.htm |title=Secretary-General Appoints Jacques Rogge of Belgium Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport |publisher=United Nations |work=Press release |date=28 April 2014}}

In his free time, Rogge was known to admire modern art and was an avid reader of historical and scientific literature."2007 impressions," Het Laatste Nieuws, 31 December 2007

On 14 October 2016, British School of Brussels{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishschool.be/facilities/sports-centre/|title=Sports Centre|website=www.britishschool.be|access-date=16 November 2016|archive-date=16 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116163615/https://www.britishschool.be/facilities/sports-centre/|url-status=dead}} opened its new sports center in Tervuren, Belgium. The building was opened and named after Rogge, titled in his honour as "Jacques Rogge Sports Centre".{{cite web|url=https://www.britishschool.be/news-events/Schoolnews/2015-09-24/BSBs-new-Sports-Centre-will-be-named-after-Dr-Jacques-Rogge/|publisher=The British School of Brussels|title=BSB's New Sports Centre will be named after Dr. Jacques Rogge|access-date=15 October 2016|archive-date=18 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018210610/https://www.britishschool.be/news-events/Schoolnews/2015-09-24/BSBs-new-Sports-Centre-will-be-named-after-Dr-Jacques-Rogge/|url-status=dead}}

In 2017, the International Paralympic Committee awarded Rogge its highest honour the Paralympic Order for saving them from financial disaster.{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1046881/former-ioc-president-rogge-awarded-paralympic-order|title=Former IOC President Rogge awarded Paralympic Order|date=10 February 2017 }} Rogge received the International Fair Play Committee's lifetime achievement award, the Jean Borotra World Fair Play Trophy. The committee decided to name their youth award in honour of Rogge, calling it the Jacques Rogge Fair Play Trophy for The Youth.{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1058554/former-ioc-president-receives-lifetime-achievement-award-in-belgium|title = Former IOC President receives lifetime achievement award in Belgium| date=30 November 2017 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fisu.net/news/jacques-rogge-receives-lifetime-achievement-award-at-world-fair-play-awards|title = Jacques Rogge receives lifetime achievement award at World Fair Play Awards| date=22 November 2017 }}

Personal life

Rogge married Anne Bovyn, and they had two children, Philippe and Caroline, and two grandchildren.

Death

Rogge died from Parkinson's disease at his home in Deinze, Belgium on 29 August 2021, at the age of 79.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/30/sports/olympics/jacques-rogge-dead.html|title = Jacques Rogge, Who Led Olympic Committee, Dies at 79|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 30 August 2021|last1 = Genzlinger|first1 = Neil}}{{Cite web|url=https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-announces-passing-of-former-ioc-president-jacques-rogge|title=IOC announces passing of former IOC President Jacques Rogge - Olympic News|date=29 August 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.infobae.com/aroundtherings/articles/2021/08/30/olympic-leaders-remember-jacques-rogge-as-a-man-of-his-word/|title=Olympic leaders remember Jacques Rogge as a man of his word|date=30 August 2021 }}

Honours and titles

File:Jacques Rogge and Dmitry Medvedev 22 November 2011.jpg into the Order of Friendship in 2011]]

File:Jacques Rogge (12773618013).jpg, 2014]]

Rogge received these honours and titles in Belgium and abroad for his work:

1992: Creation of Knight Rogge, by Royal decree of King Baudouin
2002: Creation of Count Rogge, by Royal decree of King Albert II
2006: 40px Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
2006: 40px Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (Ukraine)
2006: 40px Grand Cross in the Order for Merits to Lithuania
2008: 40px Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
2010: 40px Order of Merit of Ukraine
2010: 40px Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo (South Africa)
2011: 40px Member of the Order of Friendship (Russian Federation)
2011: 40px Grand Order of Queen Jelena (Croatia)
2011: 40px Officer of the Legion of Honour, by President Sarkozy{{cite web |url=http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/923/Sport/article/detail/1366658/2011/12/21/Ook-Jacques-Rogge-krijgt-Franse-eretitel-van-Sarkozy.dhtml |title=Ook Jacques Rogge krijgt Franse eretitel van Sarkozy |language=nl |website=HLN.be |access-date=22 August 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513175942/http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/923/Sport/article/detail/1366658/2011/12/21/Ook-Jacques-Rogge-krijgt-Franse-eretitel-van-Sarkozy.dhtml |archive-date=13 May 2016}}
2012: 40px Grand Officer in the Order of Leopold (Belgium)
2013: 40px Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (Belgium), by Royal decree of 19 September 2013
2012: 40px Knight Commander in the Order of Orange-Nassau, by Royal decree of Queen Beatrix{{cite web |date=26 November 2012 |title=Jacques Rogge Commandeur in de Orde van Oranje Nassau |url=http://pers.nocnsf.nl/jacques-rogge-commandeur-in-de-orde-van-oranje-nassau |access-date=22 August 2016 |website=Pers.nocnsf.nl}}
2014: 40px Order of St. Michael and St. George (KCMG) (UK), 2014{{cite web |title=A lifetime dedicated to sport, Jacques Rogge passes away |url=https://www.ittf.com/2021/09/01/lifetime-dedicated-sport-jacques-rogge-passes-away/ |website=International Table Tennis Federation |date=September 2021 |access-date=6 October 2021}}
2015: 40px Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Adolphe of Nassau.{{cite web|url=http://www.vorsten.nl/2015/03/02/henri-geeft-onderscheiding-aan-rogge/ |title=Henri reikt Jacques Rogge Grootkruis uit - Vorsten |website=Vorsten.nl |date=2 March 2015 |access-date=22 August 2016}}
2013: 40px Gold Olympic Order
2013: Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee
2017: Paralympic Order{{cite web|title=Paralympic Order presented to former IOC President Rogge|url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/paralympic-order-presented-former-ioc-president-rogge|website=Paralympic Movement|access-date=2 October 2017}}

=Academic degrees=

Rogge received several honorary degrees (honoris causa) :

Baku State University, Azerbaijan
Semmelweis University, Hungary
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland
Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Poland{{Cite web|url=https://www.awf.edu.pl/en/university/about-university/doctors-honoris-causa|title=Doctors Honoris Causa}}
University of Southern Denmark{{Cite web |url=https://nikkb.dk/andre-nyheder/jacques-rogge-aeresdoktor-pa-sdu |title=Jacques Rogge æresdoktor på SDU | Andre nyheder | Nyheder |access-date=30 August 2019 |archive-date=30 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830131725/https://nikkb.dk/andre-nyheder/jacques-rogge-aeresdoktor-pa-sdu |url-status=dead }}
Lithuanian Sports University{{Cite web |title=🥇 ProtectedPool ➤ Most Powerful and Safest Web3 Smart DeFi Wallet 🔐 |url=https://pp.one/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=pp.one |language=en}}
Ghent University, Belgium in 2001
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine, in October 2006{{Cite web|url=http://noc-ukr.org/en/news/1417/|title = Dr Jacques ROGGE – "Doctor Honoris Causa" of the National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport}}
Beijing Sport University, China, on 24 October 2006{{in lang|fr}} http://french.peopledaily.com.cn/Sports/4950487.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830131725/http://french.peopledaily.com.cn/Sports/4950487.html |date=30 August 2019 }}
Galileo University, Guatemala, on 30 June 2007{{in lang|fr}} https://www.olympic.org/fr/news/le-president-du-cio-fait-docteur-honoris-causa
University of Porto, Portugal, in November 2009{{in lang|pt}} https://www.dn.pt/desporto/outras-modalidades/interior/jacques-rogge-recebe-honoris-causa-no-porto-1419193.html
National Sports Academy of Bulgaria, in January 2009{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2009-01-20 |title=Bulgaria otorga a Jacques Rogge el título de doctor Honoris Causa |url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/deportes/2009-01-20/bulgaria-otorga-a-jacques-rogge-el-titulo-de-doctor-honoris-causa_1068407/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=elconfidencial.com |language=es}}
University of Oradea, Romania, in September 2010{{Cite web|url=http://en.olympic.cn/news/olympic_news/2010-09-25/2076907.html|title = Jacques Rogge welcomed by Young Judoka in Oradea - Official Website of the Chinese Olympic Committee}}
Royal Military Academy (Belgium) on 28 October 2010{{in lang|fr}} http://www.rma.ac.be/fr/rma-dhc(fr).html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317030535/http://www.rma.ac.be/fr/rma-dhc(fr).html |date=17 March 2016 }}
KU Leuven, Belgium in 2012
National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport, in May 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.eusa.eu/news?eusa-president-receives-honorary-doctorate|title = EUSA President receives honorary doctorate | EUSA}}