Asked about the Brazilian city's rate of progress in preparations for the Games, in the light of a recent visit by the IOC's Coordination Commission, Rogge said that, while progress was evident, "we must not forget that time is passing very quickly".

Singling out the Deodoro district in the west of the city, which will host a number of Olympic events, Rogge said there was "a lot of infrastructure where construction ought to accelerate".

There were, he said, "tight deadlines that have to be respected, but we are optimistic".

Turning to Isinbayeva, who recently backed highly controversial new laws in Russia relating to the open expression of gay values before backtracking and claiming she may have been misunderstood, Rogge effectively served notice that the athlete's status as ambassador for the Olympic Movement would come under review.

"This is something that we will consider in due time," he said when asked whether it was appropriate that Isinbayeva remain an ambassador.

The IOC President was noticeably non-confrontational on the laws themselves, however.

"We have received various oral and written assurances about the fact that the Russian Federation will respect the Olympic Charter and that no negative effect will occur for people attending the Games or participating in the Games," he reiterated.

However: "We are staging the Games in a sovereign state.

"The IOC cannot be expected to have an influence on the sovereign affairs of the country."

Asked about the high cost of events such as the Olympics in an environment in which many people are struggling to make ends meet and to cope with deteriorating public services, Rogge was clear that sports bodies had a responsibility to justify the expenditure of large sums on sports and related infrastructure.

Jacques Rogge cracked a rare smile to the delight of a large posse of photographers


"The challenge for the sports movement is to clearly indicate and prove that there is a good legacy after staging such events," he said.

"Events like London [2012] generate both a human and an urban legacy.

"It will be our responsibility to indicate whenever we go to organise Games that it is a win-win situation for the city and the region and that we as organisers make sure that there is a sustainable legacy."

On a more personal note, Rogge, while at one point cracking a rare smile to the delight of a large posse of photographers, admitted that he had "not always" enjoyed being IOC President, saying: "You have good moments and bad moments."

He expressed the view that his successor - to be named on September 10 - would face similar challenges to those that had preoccupied him: "It is not easy to organise good Games."

His worst moment in office was the death at Vancouver 2010 of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the Georgian luge athlete.

His death in a training crash was "something I will never forget".

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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