Jacques Jean Marie Rogge, Count Rogge (, ; 2 May 1942 – 29 August 2021) was a Belgian sports administrator 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 in 2021.
Life and career
Rogge was born in
Ghent
Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded i ...
, Belgium, during the
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
occupation. 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
Sint-Barbaracollege in Ghent, Belgium, is a private Jesuit school, founded in 1833. It currently includes primary and secondary education.
History
The school is built on the location of a cloister, the "Sint Barbaraklooster in Jerusalem". The ...
and the
University of Ghent.
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
The Finn dinghy is a single-handed, cat-rigged sailboat, and a former Olympic class for men's sailing. Since its debut at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, the Finn has featured in every summer Olympics, making it the longest serving dinghy ...
of sailing on three
Summer Olympic Games; in
1968
The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide.
Events January–February
* January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
* J ...
,
1972, and
1976.
[ In October 2016, The British School of Brussels named their new Sports Centre in his honour.
Rogge served as president of the ]Belgian Olympic Committee
The Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee ( nl, Belgisch Olympisch en Interfederaal Comité, french: Comité Olympique et Interfédéral Belge), abbreviated BOIC or COIB, is the National Olympic Committee for Belgium. The administrative s ...
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
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York ...
in the Belgian nobility by King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...
Albert II. When Rogge stepped down as President of the IOC he was awarded by his successor a gold Olympic Order. On 25 February 2014, The Princess Royal appointed him as an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) at Buckingham Palace for his years of service to the Olympics and in particular for his work on the London 2012 Olympic Games.
On 28 April 2014, Rogge was appointed Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport by United Nations Secretary-General
The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
The role of the secretary- ...
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.
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, The British School of Brussels opened its new sports center in Tervuren, Belgium. The building was opened and named after Rogge, titled "The Jacques Rogge Sports Centre".
In 2017 the International Paralympic Committee awarded Rogge its highest honour the Paralympic Order for saving them from financial disaster. 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.
Rogge died on 29 August 2021, at the age of 79. The IOC did not say what the cause of death was, but Rogge had been suffering from Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms beco ...
.
President of the IOC
Rogge was elected as President of the IOC on 16 July 2001 at the 112th IOC Session in Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
as the successor to Juan Antonio Samaranch, who had previously led the IOC since 1980.
At the 2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), was an internationa ...
in Salt Lake City, Rogge became the first ever IOC President to stay in the Olympic village
An Olympic Village is an accommodation center built for the Olympic Games, usually within an Olympic Park or elsewhere in a host city. Olympic Villages are built to house all participating athletes, as well as officials and athletic trainers. Afte ...
, thereby enjoying closer contact with the athletes.
In October 2009 he was re-elected for a new term as President of the IOC. In September 2013 at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
, German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
Thomas Bach
Thomas Bach (born 29 December 1953) is a German lawyer, former Olympic foil fencer and Olympic gold medalist, serving as the ninth and current president of the International Olympic Committee since 10 September 2013. He is also a former mem ...
(who had won a gold medal in fencing at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...
) was elected as his successor.
In 2011, a ''Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' magazine list of the 68 most powerful people in the world listed Rogge at no. 67.
On 27 July 2011, one year prior to London 2012
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, th ...
, Rogge attended a ceremony at Trafalgar Square where he invited athletes worldwide to compete in the forthcoming Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a multi ...
. Former Olympians the Princess Royal
Princess Royal is a style customarily (but not automatically) awarded by a British monarch to their eldest daughter. Although purely honorary, it is the highest honour that may be given to a female member of the royal family. There have been sev ...
and Sebastian Coe unveiled the medals up for grabs, after both Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...
David Cameron and London Mayor
The mayor of London is the chief executive of the Greater London Authority. The role was created in 2000 after the Greater London devolution referendum in 1998, and was the first directly elected mayor in the United Kingdom.
The current m ...
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as ...
had given speeches.
In December 2011, Rogge was invested as an Officer of the Légion d'honneur by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Jacques Rogge's IOC Presidency came to an end at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
. German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
Thomas Bach
Thomas Bach (born 29 December 1953) is a German lawyer, former Olympic foil fencer and Olympic gold medalist, serving as the ninth and current president of the International Olympic Committee since 10 September 2013. He is also a former mem ...
was elected as the new IOC President at the session on 10 September 2013. Rogge was then made Lifetime Honorary President of the IOC, a position which he held until his death in 2021.
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. 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. 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.
;Criticism of Bolt's jubilation
Rogge commented that Usain Bolt
Usain St. Leo Bolt, , (; born 21 August 1986) is a retired Jamaican sprinter, widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time. He is the world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay.
An eight-ti ...
's gestures of jubilation and excitement 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." 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 " he IOChas made billions off athletes such as Bolt for years, yet he has to find someone to pick on". 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
A moment of silence (also referred to as a minute's silence or a one-minute silence) is a period of silent contemplation, prayer, reflection, or meditation. Similar to flying a flag at half-mast, a moment of silence is often a gesture of ...
to be held to honor the 11 Israeli Olympians killed 40 years prior in the Munich massacre
The Munich massacre was a terrorist attack carried out during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, by eight members of the Palestinian militant organization Black September, who infiltrated the Olympic Village, killed two members ...
, 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." 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.
Honours and titles
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
* 2011: Member of the Order of Friendship
* 2011: Officer of the Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleo ...
, by President Sarkozy
* 2013: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (Belgium), by Royal decree of 19 September 2013
* 2014: Honorary Knight Commander in the Order of St. Michael and St. George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III.
It is named in honour ...
(UK), 2014
* 2012: Knight Commander in the Order of Orange-Nassau, by Royal decree of Queen Beatrix
* 2015: Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
The Order of Civil and Military Merit of Adolph of Nassau (french: Ordre de Mérite civil et militaire d’Adolphe de Nassau) is an order of merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for meritorious service to the Grand Duke, the Grand-Ducal House a ...
.
* Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi.
The highest-rankin ...
* Order of Merit of Ukraine
The Order of Merit ( uk, Орден «За заслуги») (Distinguished service) first, second or third class, is the Ukrainian order of merit, given to individuals for outstanding achievements in economics, science, culture, military or pol ...
* Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
* Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
* Order for Merits to Lithuania
* 2013: Olympic Order
* 2013: Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swis ...
* 2017: Paralympic Order
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
Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw ( pl, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego Józefa Piłsudskiego w Warszawie, lit=Józef Piłsudski Academy of Physical Education in Warsaw) is a public institution of higher learning in Warsaw ...
, Poland
* University of Southern Denmark
* Lithuanian Sports University
Lithuanian Sports University or LSU is a university in Kaunas, Lithuania, specializing in sports, physical activities, and physiology. It is headquartered in Žaliakalnis neighbourhood, in close proximity to the Kaunas Sports Hall and the S. Da ...
* Ghent University, Belgium in 2001
* Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine, in October 2006
* Beijing Sport University
Beijing Sport University (BSU) (), formerly known as "Central Institute of Physical Education" () and "Beijing Institute of Physical Education" (), is a nation-level public university located in Beijing, China. It is one of the National Key Univ ...
, China, on 24 October 2006
* Galileo University
Galileo University is a private university in Guatemala City. It was founded and authorized on October 31, 2000. Initially, it was the School of Computer Engineering (FISICC) of Universidad Francisco Marroquín. It stands out for its technolo ...
, Guatemala, on 30 June 2007
* University of Porto, Portugal, in November 2009
* National Sports Academy of Bulgaria, in January 2009
* University of Oradea
The University of Oradea (UO or U of O) () is an accredited public university located in Oradea in north-western Romania.
With 15 faculties, the university has a total of 123 fields of study for undergraduates and 151 post-graduate specialisati ...
, Romania, in September 2010
* Royal Military Academy (Belgium) on 28 October 2010
* KU Leuven, Belgium in 2012
* National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport
National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport is a Ukrainian university in Kyiv.
History
The university opened in 1930 as the National Institute of Physical Education of Ukraine in Kharkiv. In 1944 the institute was transferred ...
, in May 2018
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rogge, Jacques
1942 births
2021 deaths
Belgian rugby union players
Belgian sportsmen
Belgian orthopaedic surgeons
Belgian male sailors (sport)
Counts of Belgium
Ghent University alumni
International Olympic Committee members
Recipients of the Legion of Honour
Olympic sailors of Belgium
Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Sailors at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Finn
Sailors at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Finn
Sailors at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Finn
Sportspeople from Ghent
Presidents of the International Olympic Committee
People in sports awarded knighthoods
Honorary Officers of the Order of the Star of Ghana
Recipients of the Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo
Recipients of the Paralympic Order
Recipients of the Olympic Order
Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 3rd class
Recipients of the Order of Merit (Ukraine), 1st class