The President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, has dismissed suggestions London is being “greedy” and charging too much for the best tickets to next year’s Olympic Games.

Speaking at the conclusion of the 123^rd Session of the IOC in Durban, South Africa, Rogge said the London Organising Committee (LOCOG) has been fair with its pricing.

It was claimed LOCOG is charging double for premium tickets to what Sydney charged in 2000.

Rogge said,”you can’t compare the cost of tickets 12 years later, the world economy has changed”.

He said there had been 22 million applications for just six million tickets. The London Games are oversubscribed and there were cheap tickets available to the public when they first went on sale.

He said the IOC would not cap the price of Olympic tickets and he was quick to point out that none of the money from ticket sales in London goes to the IOC.

Rogge said he is delighted with London’s preparations. “They have done an exemplary job considering the world economic downturn”.

He said he will be delighted if the USA launches a bid for the 2020 Olympics. So far, the only official bidder is Rome but Tokyo is expected to announce a bid within a fortnight. South Africa is not out of the race just yet although the Government has said it will not bid.

“I think South Africa is ready to host an Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup showed that” he said.

Cities have until September to enter the 2020 race.

With the meeting over attention also switch to Rogge’s likely successor as President when he steps down in two years.

“There are a half a dozen members with the profile to do the job” he said.” We are in a very sound position with the number of candidates but I will not groom or support anyone, I will remain neutral as I have always done. I will not be involved, I will watch from the front row”.

Mike Tancred
AOC - Durban