Rogge rules out 2018 co-hosting
Source: Agencies |
July 15, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
NORTH Korea will not be allowed to co-host the 2018 Winter Olympics with South Korea, International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge said yesterday.
"The IOC awards the Games to one city in one country," he told reporters in Tokyo. "As far as spreading venues between the two countries, that's something we do not consider.
"We're not going to change the Olympic Charter because otherwise you complicate the organization."
After South Korean resort Pyeongchang won the 2018 bid last week, the main opposition Democratic Party, in particular, floated the idea of co-hosting the Games with the North.
A North Korean delegation in Tokyo on Olympic Council of Asia business had said Pyongyang may consider sharing 2018 events if the current military tensions between the countries eased.
But Rogge quickly slammed the door shut on co-hosting, though he insisted the North and South would be free to enter a joint team.
"In the specific case of North and South Korea, there has been in the past, specifically to the 2000 Games in Sydney, the teams parading together in the opening ceremony," he said.
"This is something we would and could consider in future Games without any problems. There could be symbolic actions like the joint parade or, why not, a joint team.
"But don't expect the IOC to spread venues between the two countries and organize Games in North Korea and another in South Korea."
There was no joint march at the 2008 Beijing Olympics or last year's Asian Games in Guangzhou.
Relations between North and South Korea deteriorated to their lowest level in years with the killing of 50 South Koreans in two separate attacks last year.
Meanwhile, Rogge said match-fixing and gambling represent the next big fight facing sports organizations and governments.
"We have made doping a top priority, now there is a new danger coming up that almost all countries have been affected by and that is corruption, match-fixing and illegal gambling," Rogge said, citing the recent match-fixing problems in South Korean football and Japanese sumo as just two examples.
"The IOC awards the Games to one city in one country," he told reporters in Tokyo. "As far as spreading venues between the two countries, that's something we do not consider.
"We're not going to change the Olympic Charter because otherwise you complicate the organization."
After South Korean resort Pyeongchang won the 2018 bid last week, the main opposition Democratic Party, in particular, floated the idea of co-hosting the Games with the North.
A North Korean delegation in Tokyo on Olympic Council of Asia business had said Pyongyang may consider sharing 2018 events if the current military tensions between the countries eased.
But Rogge quickly slammed the door shut on co-hosting, though he insisted the North and South would be free to enter a joint team.
"In the specific case of North and South Korea, there has been in the past, specifically to the 2000 Games in Sydney, the teams parading together in the opening ceremony," he said.
"This is something we would and could consider in future Games without any problems. There could be symbolic actions like the joint parade or, why not, a joint team.
"But don't expect the IOC to spread venues between the two countries and organize Games in North Korea and another in South Korea."
There was no joint march at the 2008 Beijing Olympics or last year's Asian Games in Guangzhou.
Relations between North and South Korea deteriorated to their lowest level in years with the killing of 50 South Koreans in two separate attacks last year.
Meanwhile, Rogge said match-fixing and gambling represent the next big fight facing sports organizations and governments.
"We have made doping a top priority, now there is a new danger coming up that almost all countries have been affected by and that is corruption, match-fixing and illegal gambling," Rogge said, citing the recent match-fixing problems in South Korean football and Japanese sumo as just two examples.
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