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London 2012

Who's the legend now? Rogge rolls back on Bolt row

IOC President Jacques Rogge described London 2012 as “an athletes’ Games” as the Olympics comes to a close.

IOC PRESIDENT JACQUES ROGGE attempted to defuse a rumbling row with Usain Bolt by describing him as “an active performance legend.”

Rogge said last week that Bolt had to do yet more to be regarded as ‘a legend’ – sparking an angry reaction from the sprinter, who after last night’s 4x100m triumph demanded the IOC leader should say what more he could do.

Rogge, who has previously criticised Bolt’s showmanship, appeared to back-track on Sunday.

He told a news conference: “It is a semantic question but you would say that Usain Bolt is an active performance legend, an icon and the best sprinter of all time.”

Rogge also proclaimed that the London 2012 Olympics have been ‘a dream for sports lovers’.

He said that history had been made by many athletes and that Britain’s record medal haul had been hugely important for the overall success of the Games.

He said: “I am a very happy and grateful man – very happy with the Games and very grateful to LOCOG (the London Organising Committee).

“On 6 July, London promised an athletes’ Games and that’s exactly what we got. History has been written by many, many athletes – the double treble of Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Sir Chris Hoy, Ben Ainslie, Andy Murray winning his first major title… I could go on.

“A magic moment was David Rudisha and his 800m, this was beauty in action.

“London was a dream for a sports lover, but I think it’s very unfair to compare Games at different times and different circumstances and different countries.

“I have said since the awarding of the Games in Singapore that we need home gold medals and that is so important for the mood of the general public. We had to wait two days but then it accelerated, it has been fantastic

“We are saying exactly the same for our Brazilian friends for Rio.”

Rogge said the IOC would hold a review of ticket policy ahead of Rio 2016.

The demand for tickets for London so outstripped supply that many fans experienced huge frustration trying to buy tickets on a computer system that struggled to cope.

There were also revelations that a number of authorised overseas agents were prepared to sell tickets on the black market.

Rogge said: “We will definitely review the ticketing policy of the Games.

“We are going to see whether this system will continue to work and how we are going to improve it.

“The the venues were full and that is the most important thing.”

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