International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge was
awarded an Honorary Doctorate at the Beijing Sports University on
Sunday.
Rogge, who is currently in Beijing on the occasion of the 5th
World Forum on Sport, Education and Culture, was accompanied to the
ceremony by China's IOC members Yu Zaiqing and He Zhenliang, and
Liu Peng, President of the Chinese Olympic Committee.
Rogge spoke of his delight at receiving this honor on behalf of
the entire Olympic Family.
"I am very pleased and honored to receive the Honorary Doctorate
from the Beijing Sports University, one of the most prestigious
university of physical education and sports in China and in the
world," he said.
Born on May 2, 1942 in Belgium, Rogge is an orthopaedic surgeon
by profession. In the course of his sports career, he competed in
the yachting competitions at the Mexico Games in 1968, Munich in
1972 and Montreal in 1976. He was also a member of the Belgian
national rugby team.
Rogge became President of the European Olympic Committees in
1989, IOC member in 1991 and Executive Board member in 1998. He
became the eighth IOC President, elected in July, 2001, at the
112th IOC Session in Moscow.
(Xinhua News Agency October 23, 2006)