"i Would Say We Are Idealists. Idealism Is Linked With Some Naivety."

[Citius Altius Fortius]

said Mr. Rogge in a press conference in Beijing.

I am astonished that a committee, which is "naive", is organising the most important sport event in the world.

And I am interested to know if he reference this statement to all IOC members or to special ones? If he refers it to all members I am interested in how the other IOC members react on such a statement - if he refers it to special members I am interested to know who he meant and if he includes him himself?

[Rob2012]

It's a sporting event and neither the IOC nor the world at large should have expected China to change because of it. Let's have a good two weeks of sport, hope the weather stays nice and enjoy what we see. It's too late for the IOC to take the moral-high ground and faux-naivety isn't going to convince anyone. They made their bed, they should lie in it. All they can do is keep their fingers crossed and hope that the good things about China and these Games (of which there are many) aren't blemished by the less-than-savoury aspects which, despite pleading naivety, Rogge and his organisation knew could hamper the Games all along.

Rogge knows the ultimate success of these Games is not in the IOC's hands and it never has been. But for him to distance himself and his organisation from these recent problems by pretending they couldn't see them coming is disingenuous. It was the IOC's decision to give the games to China, they knew the risks and they'll rightly take a lot of the credit if China does them proud. Equally, if China messes up, the IOC has to take some of the blame and the argument "I Would Say We Are Idealists. Idealism Is Linked With Some Naivety" isn't going to stand up in that case!!

Just let the Games begin. We'll see how it all plays out soon enough.

[Citius Altius Fortius]

"I'm not going to make an apology for something that the IOC is not responsible for," Rogge said. "We are not running the internet in China. The Chinese authorities are running the internet."

Then he shouldn't have made promises like "foreign media will be able to report freely and publish their work freely in China. There will be no censorship on the internet." (made at Easter Sunday)

Edited August 2, 2008 by Citius Altius Fortius

[Citius Altius Fortius]

It's a sporting event and neither the IOC nor the world at large should have expected China to change because of it. Let's have a good two weeks of sport, hope the weather stays nice and enjoy what we see. It's too late for the IOC to take the moral-high ground and faux-naivety isn't going to convince anyone. They made their bed, they should lie in it. All they can do is keep their fingers crossed and hope that the good things about China and these Games (of which there are many) aren't blemished by the less-than-savoury aspects which, despite pleading naivety, Rogge and his organisation knew could hamper the Games all along.

Rogge knows the ultimate success of these Games is not in the IOC's hands and it never has been. But for him to distance himself and his organisation from these recent problems by pretending they couldn't see them coming is disingenuous. It was the IOC's decision to give the games to China, they knew the risks and they'll rightly take a lot of the credit if China does them proud. Equally, if China messes up, the IOC has to take some of the blame and the argument "I Would Say We Are Idealists. Idealism Is Linked With Some Naivety" isn't going to stand up in that case!!

Just let the Games begin. We'll see how it all plays out soon enough.

I agree with you, Rob!!!

But I do love to rub the IOC's nose on this issue...

[Maryjane]

It's a sporting event and neither the IOC nor the world at large should have expected China to change because of it. Let's have a good two weeks of sport, hope the weather stays nice and enjoy what we see. It's too late for the IOC to take the moral-high ground and faux-naivety isn't going to convince anyone. They made their bed, they should lie in it. All they can do is keep their fingers crossed and hope that the good things about China and these Games (of which there are many) aren't blemished by the less-than-savoury aspects which, despite pleading naivety, Rogge and his organisation knew could hamper the Games all along.

Rogge knows the ultimate success of these Games is not in the IOC's hands and it never has been. But for him to distance himself and his organisation from these recent problems by pretending they couldn't see them coming is disingenuous. It was the IOC's decision to give the games to China, they knew the risks and they'll rightly take a lot of the credit if China does them proud. Equally, if China messes up, the IOC has to take some of the blame and the argument "I Would Say We Are Idealists. Idealism Is Linked With Some Naivety" isn't going to stand up in that case!!

Just let the Games begin. We'll see how it all plays out soon enough.

I agree with you~I think for no matter what reasons, if the people wish to be changed or being inspired by this ''open door opportunity'', they would definitly go ahead and change it. It's impossible for China to isolate himself today because of the economy, the political play of the world, and today's olympics involved with cultures and a great communication with other voices. I think the reason why Chinese sees this olympics a milestone event because they think it's a new start for their country of the development and some hope. It will be the same transformation as Japan and Korea after holding the games.

[zenica]

Rogge Rogge as what people expect of him when he is not suitable for the position of IOC president, in connection with free internet, free journalismous etc.