July 09, 2007	Monday	Jamadi-us-Sani 23, 1428

GUATEMALA CITY, July 8: Future bidding cities for the Olympic Games could be told to not include their heads of state in the bidding or presentation, according to IOC president Jacques Rogge on Saturday.

The Belgian said that the IOC would review the impact that heads of state had on the bidding process, with the last two to be awarded, London in 2012 and Sochi for the 2014 Winter Games to have been boosted hugely by the presence of then British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the dying days of the race.

Indeed President Putin stunned his audience of IOC members in the final presentation by delivering his speech in English live for the first time in his career.

Putin's counterparts, Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun and Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer were also present to lobby for the Games.

“As regards the Head of state, this is something we will review. It can have advantages and disadvantages,” said Rogge, who had a largely successful IOC Session, though, he failed to lobby successfully enough for Pyeongchang to prevail as they lost 51 votes to 47 to Sochi.

Rogge, who has been in the post since succeeding Juan Antonio Samaranch in 2001, added that there would also be a review of the amount of money spent in the bidding process.—AFP