TURIN, Italy, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge praised the efforts of the various Italian committees that have organized the XX Winter Games.
Rogge spoke Tuesday at an IOC meeting ahead of the Games, which begin Friday in Turin, Italy. He made a point to thank the members of the local organizing committee and Italian officials who helped put together this year's Olympics.
"For the past seven years, (they) ... have done everything possible to put the physical and human structures in place to guarantee the best conditions for the athletes," the IOC president said.
"It should never be forgotten that, above all else, the Games are for the athletes."
Rogge said that as part of being "guardians of the Olympic ideals and values," the IOC has called for a 72-percent increase in the number of drug tests this year, compared to the 2000 Games in Salt Lake City. Some 1,200 athletes will be tested.
"For the thousands of athletes who compete cleanly and fairly, we have a duty to put in place the strongest measures to trap the small minority who cheat," he said.
