IOC chief Rogge praises Vancouver's unique embrace of Games

Feb 28, 2010, 21:24 GMT

Vancouver - International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge Sunday praised Vancouver's 'extraordinary embrace' of the winter Olympics Games and said it was 'something unique.'

On the last day of the Vancouver Olympics, Rogge said the IOC was 'happy with the Games' which had overcome some initial 'teething pains.'

'The Games started in very difficult condition with the tragic death of Nodar Kumaritashvili and that is something the Olympic movement will not forget, of course,' Rogge told reporters.

'This has hit me very strongly on a personal point of view. I didn't sleep for two consecutive nights,' Rogge added.

'When you see a young athlete pursuing his dream to participate in Olympics Games and having such an accident it hurts, that's for sure. I am sure no one will forget that.'

But Rogge said the Games should be judged 'on their own merits' and said the organizers VANOC 'really did a good job.'

'The Games began with teething pains for VANOC but I congratulate VANOC for correcting that. From that moment on things went extremely well,' he said.

Rogge said the athletes had been 'absolutely thrilled' by the village and 'absolutely delighted' by the venues, and had been supported everywhere by very warm and fair crowds.

The Games had seen 'sport at the highest level' and broadcasters were also delighted with 'sky-high ratings', far higher than at Salt Lake City in 2002 in a comparable time zone.

'And then there is this extraordinary embrace of the entire city of the Olympic Games, something I have never seen on this scale before,' Rogge said.

'I have seen this embrace in Lillehammer (in 1994) but Lillehammer is a small city of 20,000 and here we are over 1 million. It is totally different and this is really something unique and has given a great atmosphere for these Games.'