Rogge Welcomes FISA Council In Lausanne

Denis Oswald, Jacques Rogge and Gilbert Felli

IOC President Jacques Rogge and IOC Director of Sport Gilbert Felli accepted an invitation by FISA President Denis Oswald to express words of welcome to the FISA Council for the start of its meeting Friday morning in Lausanne, Switzerland.

In his opening words to the Council, Rogge expressed not only the confidence that he and the IOC have for Oswald in his role as Athens 2004 Coordination Commission Chairman saying that he is “the right man for the job”, but also the respect that he holds for the sport of rowing. “You have this Corinthian tradition in your sport” he said “there is still an atmosphere of true sport and I urge you to retain that.”

Having just returned from a visit to Athens along with Oswald, the IOC President also took time to update the FISA Council members on the progress being made in the Greek capital for the next Olympic Games and answer questions on the subject.

Issues regarding Athens 2004 are a part of the busy agenda that the 22 member Council will cover over the three day meeting. Other topics of discussion included the provisional racing timetables for the 2003 World Rowing Championships to be held in Milan, Italy and the 2003 World Rowing Junior Championships to be held in Athens, Greece.

Representing 14 nationalities the Council is composed of the FISA Executive Board as well as the chairmen of each of the 11 specialised commissions and four continental representatives.