IOC president wants to see future rise in revenue for 2014-2016 Games

DURBAN - International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge hopes the new television rights deal in the United States for the 2014-2016 Olympics will exceed the $2.2 billion paid for the previous two-Games package.

"We would hope to get more TV revenue because the TV rights are very important," Rogge said in an interview with Reuters on Monday. "We hope to have these revenues. Time will tell. The negotiations will be interesting."

Rogge's remarks about the IOC's biggest single revenue deal are the first time the IOC has mentioned a possible increase following a slump in the US advertising market in the past two years.

Russia's Sochi will host the 2014 Winter Olympics while Rio de Janeiro will stage the 2016 Summer Games.

The US broadcaster NBC paid $2.2 billion for the rights to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games and the London 2012 Summer Olympics with industry officials expecting a lower figure for the next two-Games package.

Rogge hinted recently that negotiations could take place next year after initially saying the process could be put off until after the 2012 London Olympics.

The head of NBC Universal sports Dick Ebersol, who will bid again along with most, if not all, major US broadcasters, said in September it could even be in the first quarter of 2011.

Rogge, in South Africa for an international sports conference, said he was satisfied with the IOC's Olympic host selection process, after world soccer's governing body FIFA was criticized for its procedures in picking the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts.

Andy Anson, head of England's failed World Cup bid, said FIFA needed to change its voting system after the decision to award the soccer World Cup to Russia in 2018 and to Qatar in 2022.

"I think we have taken the necessary measures to have a transparent and accountable voting process, and a clean one," Rogge said.

"Our rules are very stringent. Bidding committees cannot visit the IOC members, IOC members cannot visit the bidding city.

"We have a very strong evaluation system where everything is very well analysed. We have a very strong ethics commission that does not hesitate to expel people whenever there is a sign of misconduct.

"I think we have a very fair and clear voting process which is very transparent. It is a secret vote because you have to protect the member and the voter from undue influence.

"But it is checked by an external audit company so I have no concerns about that," added Rogge, who will step down in 2013 after 12 years in charge.

Reuters