22 Facts About Jacques Rogge

Jacques Jean Marie Rogge, Count Rogge was a Belgian sports administrator and physician who served as the eighth President of the International Olympic Committee from 2001 to 2013.

In 2013, Rogge became the IOC's Honorary President, a lifetime position, which he held until his death in 2021.

Jacques Rogge was born in Ghent, Belgium, during the Nazi Germany occupation.

Jacques Rogge was the son of Suzanne and Charles Rogge, an engineer.

Jacques Rogge was by profession an orthopedic surgeon and was educated at the Jesuit private school Sint-Barbaracollege and the University of Ghent.

Jacques Rogge was a 16-time Belgian national champion in rugby and a one-time yachting world champion.

Jacques Rogge competed in the Finn class of sailing on three Summer Olympic Games; in 1968,1972, and 1976.

Jacques Rogge served as president of the Belgian Olympic Committee from 1989 to 1992, and as president of the European Olympic Committees from 1989 to 2001.

Jacques Rogge became a member of the IOC in 1991 and joined its executive board in 1998.

Jacques Rogge was knighted in 1992, and in 2002 made a count in the Belgian nobility by King Albert II.

When Jacques Rogge stepped down as President of the IOC he was awarded by his successor a gold Olympic Order.

On 28 April 2014, Jacques Rogge was appointed Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, to help promote sport as an empowerment tool for youth from displaced and refugee communities towards peace, reconciliation, security, health, education, gender equality, and a more inclusive society.

Jacques Rogge received the International Fair Play Committee's lifetime achievement award, the Jean Borotra World Fair Play Trophy.

The IOC did not say what the cause of death was, but Jacques Rogge had been suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Jacques Rogge was elected as President of the IOC on 16 July 2001 at the 112th IOC Session in Moscow as the successor to Juan Antonio Samaranch, who had previously led the IOC since 1980.

At the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Jacques Rogge became the first ever IOC President to stay in the Olympic village, thereby enjoying closer contact with the athletes.

On 27 July 2011, one year prior to London 2012, Jacques Rogge attended a ceremony at Trafalgar Square where he invited athletes worldwide to compete in the forthcoming Olympic Games.

In December 2011, Jacques Rogge was invested as an Officer of the Legion d'honneur by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Jacques Rogge was then made Lifetime Honorary President of the IOC, a position which he held until his death in 2021.

Jacques Rogge later denied that any such meeting had taken place, but failed to insist that the PRC adhere to its prior assurances that the Internet would not be censored.

Jacques Rogge rejected calls for a minute of silence to be held to honor the 11 Israeli Olympians killed 40 years prior in the Munich massacre, during the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Jacques Rogge received these honours and titles in Belgium and abroad for his work:.