International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at the Beijing Sports University on Sunday.

Rogge, who is currently in Beijing on the occasion of the 5th World Forum on Sport, Education and Culture, was accompanied to the ceremony by China's IOC members Yu Zaiqing and He Zhenliang, and Liu Peng, President of the Chinese Olympic Committee.

Rogge spoke of his delight at receiving this honor on behalf of the entire Olympic Family.

"I am very pleased and honored to receive the Honorary Doctorate from the Beijing Sports University, one of the most prestigious university of physical education and sports in China and in the world," he said.

Born on May 2, 1942 in Belgium, Rogge is an orthopaedic surgeon by profession. In the course of his sports career, he competed in the yachting competitions at the Mexico Games in 1968, Munich in 1972 and Montreal in 1976. He was also a member of the Belgian national rugby team.

Rogge became President of the European Olympic Committees in 1989, IOC member in 1991 and Executive Board member in 1998. He became the eighth IOC President, elected in July, 2001, at the 112th IOC Session in Moscow.

(Xinhua News Agency October 23, 2006)