Athens - International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge praised Athens organisers on Sunday for putting on "splendid" games and defying the skeptics who thought Greece wouldn't be able to deliver.
Speaking at a news conference on the final day of the Summer Olympics, Rogge said Athens had pulled off a rousing success despite the concerns over construction delays, security threats and cost overrruns.
"I'm an extremely happy president of the IOC," Rogge said. "We always expressed our confidence in our Greek friends. I've always said I believed there was enough time to finish the preparations in due time.
"Many did not believe me. Many did not believe the IOC, saying, 'Oh, but you're nice to the Greeks'. We knew they could do it amid a very strong skepticism and criticism internationally. I think our friends have delivered in Athens in a very splendid way."
Rogge said he would offer a "very warm" final verdict on the games in his speech at Sunday night's closing ceremony. Unlike his predecessor, Juan Antonio Samaranch, he will not consider calling them the "best ever".
"The Olympic Games is a competition between athletes," Rogge said. "It's not a competition between organising committees."
Meantime, he said the IOC will consult with international sports federations to avoid the judging and scoring errors which affected gymnastics, equestrian, fencing and other sports.
Rogge reiterated the IOC will not consider changing the result of the men's all-around gymnastics competition in which America's Paul Hamm won the gold after judges incorrectly scored the parallel bars routine of South Korea Yang Tae-young.
The international gymnastics federation, FIG, has asked Hamm to give up the medal in a gesture of sportsmanship. But the US Olympic Committee called the request "deplorable" and said FIG should take responsibility for its own mistakes.
"Our position is extremely simple," Rogge said. "The FIG has certified the result of the gymnastics competition. The IOC has awarded the medals according to the certified results. Paul Hamm was declared the winner and therefore he has received the gold medal, and for us that is final."
