Comments on the passing of Jacques Rogge
From the OCA President, HE Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah
President Jacques will always be remembered as a great friend of Asia
Kuwait City, Kuwait, August 30, 2021: The Olympic Council of Asia is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the former IOC President, His Excellency Mr. Jacques Rogge.
President Jacques was a great friend and ally of the OCA and played a major role in the development of the Olympic Movement in Asia.
He attended several of our multi-sport games over the years and also delivered keynote speeches at our General Assemblies.
His love of sport in general and his passion for clean sport in particular always shone through, and he was able to transfer this enthusiasm to athletes, administrators and officials alike.
Although he held the highest position available in the Olympic Movement, he was always down-to-earth and remained a friendly, approachable, considerate and inspiring leader.
He was a humble man and always wanted the best for the Olympic Movement. This was particularly noticeable with his pioneering role in the launch of the Youth Olympic Games to attract new generations of young athletes around the world to the noble cause of Olympism.
In Asia we were very proud to take on this new initiative, and host the first Asian Youth Games in Singapore in 2009 and the second AYG in Nanjing, China four years later. These two events paved the way for the successful launch of the IOC’s Youth Olympic Games at Singapore in 2010 and the second YOG in Nanjing in 2014.
Since then, the YOG has gone from strength to strength and will remain a permanent legacy of the vision of President Jacques.
The Olympic Movement has lost one of its most dedicated and devoted servants with the passing of our Honorary President and our great friend President Jacques.
The OCA will never forget the ideals and the values which President Jacques promoted around the world and will always remember him as a great friend and loyal supporter of Asia.
We would like to express our deepest condolences to his family, to the Olympic Movement in his home country Belgium and to the IOC family around the world at this very sad time.