Buenos Aires: Jacques Rogge gave his farewell address after 12 years as president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday, saying that while some in power experienced solitude, he never had.
The 71-year-old Belgian — elected in Moscow in 2001 to succeed Juan Antonio Samaranch — gave a short but moving address to the 100 IOC members assembled for the Session.
“You my dear colleagues have always supported me,” he said.
“You gave me help, guidance and friendship.
“Power often brings solitude, I never felt that.”
Rogge, a three-time Olympic yachtsman, thanked all the sponsors, the athletes “who are the core of our operation” and most movingly the backroom team who supported him throughout his time in office, reeling off their names one by one.
Rogge’s greatest achievement is generally acknowledged to have been to restore the image of the IOC, after the damage inflicted by the bribes for votes scandal over the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, which darkened the final years of Samaranch’s reign.
While he did not make a direct reference to that achievement, he said he left with the IOC united.
It was not the case when he took over as they were still suffering the fallout from the scandal, which had seen several members expelled for life.
“It is a united team,” he said.
Rogge, who is an orthopaedic surgeon by profession, also praised his successor German Thomas Bach — elected earlier on Tuesday — and with whom he worked closely over the 12 years.
“We are blessed in having an extremely capable new president,” said Rogge.
“He too has a driving passion for the Movement and I wish him well. I urge all of you to unite round the new leader.”
Rogge, who also played rugby sevens for Belgium and was a ringside doctor in boxing for several years, said there were people who couldn’t wait for his final day as president to end.
“When I woke up this morning for this important day, my loving family were happy because they would get me back,” said Rogge, who told AFP earlier this year that one of his retirement duties would be to drive his grandchildren to school and to sporting events.
Rogge, who had tributes paid to him on a video, including one from 2012 London Games head organiser Sebastian Coe praising him for his ability even as a Belgian to talk about rugby and cricket, received a standing ovation.
However, as the applause went on he put his hands clasped together to his chin and with his usual impassive expression said thank you and that is enough.
It was his last command as president — and it was obeyed.
