Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto has paid tribute to former IPC President Jacques Rogge, who has died at the age of 79. Rogge, the eighth IOC President, was a Paralympic Order recipient, having received the Paralympic Movement’s highest honour in February 2017.
“I would like to express my sincere condolences on the passing of Jacques Rogge, the former President of the International Olympic Committee, who devoted himself to the promotion of the Olympic Movement during the radically changing times of the sporting world in the 2000s. As IOC President, he was one of the first to address the issue of raising interest in sport among younger generations, exemplified by his establishment of the Youth Olympic Games.
“Urban sports, which made their debut at the Youth Olympic Games, became part of the Olympic programme at the Tokyo 2020 Games, and the youthful energy of the younger generations has helped to transmit the Olympic values of respect, excellence and friendship to the world.
“The scene of former President Rogge holding up a card with the word “TOKYO” on it when he announced the decision to host the Tokyo 2020 Games at the IOC Session in September 2013 will forever remain in our memories. With the will to protect the Olympic values that former President Rogge worked so hard to achieve, we are determined to ensure that the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be safe, secure and successful events which will spur the further development of the international sporting community.”
