Farewell to the IOC's "Mr. Normal"
Jacques Rogge, who has died aged 79, will be remembered for his term as president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during which he firmly set up his "Mr. Normal" image on the organization.
Modest and humble, he left the role as the most powerful man in sports in 2013, having restored glory and honor to the IOC, which he leaves in strong financial health.
"Have I enjoyed it? Not always. Was it exciting? Definitely, and it was a privilege to be president," said Rogge when asked to sum up his term in charge.
Rogge was elected the IOC's eighth president in Moscow on July 16, 2001, defeating four other candidates to succeed Samaranch, a former president who ran the committee for 21 years.
Rogge enjoyed a "Mr. Clean" reputation and moved quickly to break away with the IOC's unpopular image. Within hours of coming to power, he announced that he would stay in the athletes' village rather than the IOC hotel during the Salt Lake City Olympics.
Considered to be the right person at the right time，Rogge helped the IOC out of a lot of turmoil (动荡) and brought stability to the organization.
After serving an initial eight-year term, Rogge was reelected unchallenged in 2009 to a second and final four-year term. He stepped down in September 2013 in Buenos Aires, where German lawyer Thomas Bach was elected.
"I received an IOC in good shape from Samaranch, Rogge said in an interview before handing over to Bach. "And I believe I will leave an IOC in good shape to my successor."
True to the last, though, Rogge remained emotionless as the members poured praise on him, fighting it off with his self-deprecatory (自嘲）humor.
No more so than when the man who replaced him as president, Bach, said he would disobey him on the eve of his stepping down and pay him a praise.
"Your disobedience tells me that I have reached the level of no importance," said Rogge.
