In April, after Rogge had appeared on the BBC show "Hardtalk," saying the IOC "will make sure within the sphere of sports ... that [human rights] will be respected," some follow-up reports suggested the IOC might go so far as to take the Games away from Beijing if the rights situation was not to the IOC's approval.
"There was a wrong interpretation," Rogge said. He emphasized that any such suggestion is "the most stupid [idea] that I've ever heard about."
The truth is, the IOC is eagerly anticipating the 2008 Games.
It views the Games as a chance to spread the Olympic gospel to one-fifth of the world's population and expects them to serve, Rogge said, as "a big booster for sport in Asia."
Also, for the IOC, Chinese Olympic officials and scores of companies in China and abroad, the 2008 Games offer a big-time money-making opportunity.
Here is a chance to introduce products to an emerging market of 1.4 billion people, or, for those firms already doing business in China, to expand marketing reach by piggybacking on the glamour of the five rings, as well as on a project that carries nationalistic, patriotic zeal.
Liu, the Beijing 2008 executive vice president, said he believes organizers might be able to raise $700 million from highly motivated corporate sponsors. Combined with about $300 million due from IOC marketing programs, that would mean $1 billion in sponsorships.
Asked what he thought Chairman Mao would think about $1 billion in capitalist sponsor income underwriting an Olympics in China, Liu replied, laughing, "I believe if he was still alive, he'd be very happy. And he'd be happy [to preside] over the opening ceremonies because he loved sports so much."
Said Nick Moore, the Beijing regional manager for Coca-Cola, a longtime Olympic sponsor, "They are really on the road here. The WTO, the Olympics, the World Cup," a reference to China's first appearance earlier this year in the global soccer tournament. "There's so much optimism here--a feeling their time has come, that it's their turn on the world stage.
"We want to help China have a good time. We want to help China celebrate."
Here, too, is a chance to get in on some of that $30 billion in advance money. The Chinese intend to spend $4 billion on Games-related construction and another $26 billion on roadways, rail lines and environmental protection.
