Former IOC president Jacques Rogge passes away at 79

In 2007, Rogge said Beijing was making "truly impressive" preparations for the next year's Games.

He said at the closing ceremony of the 2008 Olympics that Beijing had presented "truly exceptional Games "through which the world learned more about China and China learned more about the world.

In 2014, one year after Rogge stepped down as IOC president, he attended the second Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing and said Beijing would do a "very good job" if it won the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.