Ghana honours IOC President

Accra, June 18, GNA - Ghana on Friday honoured Dr Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) with the State Honour of the Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana (OSG) Honorary Division.

President John Agyekum Kufuor decorated Dr Rogge with the sash in the national colours and a pin at a State Banquet held in honour of delegates attending the two-day 11th General Assembly of the Association of National Olympics Committees of Africa (ANOCA), in Accra.

Proposing the toast, President Kufuor commended the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) for hosting the historic ANOCA General Assembly in Accra. He said the Government was fully committed to providing adequate support to the GOC towards achieving the Olympic goals for the nation.

Miss Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State at the Ministry of Education and Sports in-charge of Tertiary Education read the citation. It said "in recognition of your distinguished career as an Orthopaedic Surgeon, an international sports administrator and your visionary and dynamic leadership of the IOC".

"As well as your commendation role in contribution to building a peaceful and better world through leadership of the Olympic Movement, Ghana confers on you the State Honour of the Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana (OSG) Honorary Division."

Dr Rogge 63; a Belgian was a distinguished yachts-man who excelled at the Olympic games in Mexico in 1968, Munich in 1972 and Montreal in 1976. He posses a World Cadet Yachting Competition Trophy and was a celebrated member of the Belgian National Rugby Team.

The citation said, "your initiative, high sense of duty and resourcefulness in organization and management of sports administration were the attributes that led to your dual appointments as President of the Belgium Olympic Committee and the European Olympic Committees in the same year 1989". "You served both terms of office concurrently with diligence and expertise. In 1991 you joined the IOC and served in various responsibilities until you were appointed its President in 2001", it added. It said, "since your assumption of office as the President of the IOC, you have steadfastly advocated and supported the pursuance of programmes leading to the realization of the Olympic Movement's principles and goals."

Dr Rogge also decorated President Kufuor with the Highest Olympic Honour of the Olympic Order and described President Kufuor as a man who had dedicated his life to his people and sports in Ghana in citation. "You have worked tirelessly for reconciliation, dialogue and unity to build a better world a fundamental principle of the Olympic Movement", it added.

The IOC President said President Kufuor had had a remarkable public career and now as President of Ghana had made life of Ghanaians better with increased access to education being one of his priority areas. He said Ghana had been a member of the Olympic family for the past 50 years and was well noted for her excellence in boxing and football events the country had won medals. Responding to the toast, Dr Rogge expressed his appreciation for the honour conferred on him saying "the honour is for the entire Olympic family."