2012 can put the Great in Britain

Jacques Rogge urges organisers of the 2012 London Olympics to top Beijing - not by bigger venues or more volunteers, but by building on the multicultural make-up of the city and traditional British values like fair play.

An artist's impression of London's new Olympic stadium.

LONDON // Jacques Rogge has urged organisers of the 2012 London Olympics to top Beijing - not by bigger venues or more volunteers, but by building on the multicultural make-up of the city and traditional British values like fair play. In his final news conference of the Beijing Games yesterday, the president of the International Olympic Committee said he was "extremely pleased" by China's organisation.

"We had a splendid village, we had state-of-the art venues, we have an impeccable operation and we had great performances," Rogge said. "It is clear that China has put the bar very high." Despite their efficiency, the Beijing Games have been criticised for an absence of spontaneous celebration, for being heavily stage-managed by China's authoritarian government and for being slightly dull. Rogge suggested London could move the bar higher - just by being London, a city where protests in Hyde Park are a tradition and free expression is a birthright. "There are issues London will not be able to equal," Rogge said. "It is clear that the ability to bring in hundreds of thousands of volunteers in the different sites ... is something that number-wise is not going to be easy for London."

Rogge described Britain as the nation who invented modern sports, codified their rules and "brought in the values of fair play and other values". He added: "So I think that is the identity that has to be built around London. London is also a very cosmopolitan city, multi-ethnic, multicultural, multi-religious so this is something you can also use as an asset." Sebastian Coe, head of the London organising committee, has promised London will be fun. "We are going to work on generating a party atmosphere," he said.

Rogge was pressed on protest zones, which went unused during the Beijing Olympics because Chinese officials declined to grant permits to any of 77 petitioners. He was also quizzed about internet access, with many sites remaining blocked throughout the games despite pledges by the IOC and Chinese officials they would be open. "We have always urged China to give the widest possible access to the internet,' Rogge said. "We acknowledge that the situation has not been perfect, but we acknowledge at the same time that the situation was a major change compared to before the games. You should not forget one thing: it is not the IOC running the internet, it is the Chinese government running the internet."

Rogge said the protest zones were not part of the host-city agreement, but a feature Chinese officials agreed to after coaxing by the IOC. He said he "found it unusual" that none of the protest applications were approved. Michael Phelps, the most decorated medallist in Olympic history, yesterday issued a warning there was more to come from him in London. Phelps, already the winner of 14 gold medals from Beijing and Athens, will set himself new targets before ending his Olympic career at the age of 27.

Conquering the backstroke is part of his plans but, as he aims to add to his medal haul, there are limits even for Phelps, who won eight gold medals in China - the most at any single Games. "No breaststroke, no distance swimming, no open water - at least those guys will still be my friends," he said after arriving in London for the Olympic handover party. "I'm excited for the next four years and today is the kick-off for the next four years. Olympic athletes dream of being part of the Olympics every four years.

"Right after the Olympics are over, our mindset is already focused on the next four years and what we can do to change how we prepare and try some new things and that's something I'm looking forward to now. "I've never competed over here in London and I'm looking forward to really experience more of the city and be able to prepare myself to hopefully swim some fast times." * Agencies