Chinadaily Homepage
  | Home | Destination Beijing | Sports | Olympics | Photo |  
  2008Olympics > In Depth

Full transcript of interview with Rogge

(BOCOG)
Updated: 2006-11-01 16:19

The International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge received an interview with Shui Junyi, an renowned Journalist and anchorman of China's central television station (CCTV).

Full transcript of the interview is provided as follows:

Q: Is this your first time to Beijing since you became President of IOC?

A: Yes it is.

Q: You must have a busy schedule, did you have a good sleep last night?

A. Yes, I always sleep well, I've no problem with that.

Q: Especially when you are in Beijing, right?

A: Yes.

Q: First of all tell us about your preliminary account so far about the progress in the preparation for the 2008 Games?

A: I am very happy with the progress made in Beijing. It is on schedule, and this is really something that they assure us a lot, and we are pleased by the quality of the work and also by the beauty of the venues...

Q: I have heard that you were probably saying that you don't want the schedule to be too ahead of time, it that all right?

A: No, today it is not a problem anymore. There was maybe a schedule that was advanced tow years ago, and then we gave advice to the organizers. But today we are not saying that anymore. Everything is on time, because there is only two years left and everything must stay focuses, and we are very happy.

Q: I noticed a very good news that this time in Beijing you were awarded the honorary doctorate by the Beijing Sports University. Is that a good news for you?

A: It is, but I realize that the honor was given to the International Olympic Games which I preside over. Yes it is a very good moment.

Q: Mister President, at the Athens Olympic Games, you probably call it a Games of dreams?

A: Unforgettable dreams.

Q: Have you prepared some words for Beijing?

A: I'll give my description at the end of the Games. At the closing ceremony I will find the right words, and of course you'll be happy when you hear.

Q:!s president of IOC, which are your expectations for the Beijing Games

A: My expectation is perfection.

Q: Two years ago when you handed over the flag to Mayor of Beijing and people describe it as Beijing era, and you called it as saying it's like a mother brining her baby to someone and asked the person to take care of the child for four years. Why did you say so?

A: BOCOG, China and IOC together, will give birth to the baby. This is father and mother together giving birth to a baby and the birth will be on August 8, 2008, and the baby will the baby of BOCOG, China and IOC together.

Q: So, how is the baby so far?

A: The baby is still not born. The baby is growing slowly, but I think the pregnancy is really excellent.

Q: The Chinese people know you very well and you know China very well, you send best wishes to Chinese sport fans on TV program on the occasions of Spring Festival, the Lantern Festival...Did you know in which year of Chinese calendar of animals you were born?

A: Of course, I was born in the Year of Horse!

Q: Do you like the Year of Horse?

A: Yes, I think it has a positive connotation and I am very proud of it.

Q:)have heard that you prefer dragon more than horse, right?

A: Well I don't know the Chinese culture and mythology well enough to differentiate between dragon and horse.

Q: In Chinese, dragon and horse bound together is a better description for a personality, a movement and for anything.

A: I didn't know about that, I'm very happy, yeah.

Q: You have a personal seal, and on the evening when BOCOG disclosed the seal of the 2008 Games, were you surprised at that it used the seal?

A: No, I wasn't surprised because I now your tradition, your great culture and your great history, so I was not surprised.

I thought that is very fitting because that's the way how you express your love for sport, and how to blend sport, culture and tradition, so that's a very good idea..

Q: So you satisfied about using this?

A: Absolutely. When I write to the BOCOG, I use my seal.

Q: Really?

A: Absolutely. I on the regular basis send the letter written in Chinese characters as one of my closest assistants is Chinese and she writes letters for me and I put the seal.


1234