International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge has rejected accusations that British Prime Minister Tony Blair broke the rules in his attempts to help London win the bid to host the 2012 Summer Games.
Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe said Blair and London bid chief Sebastian Coe "crossed over the line" by criticizing other bid candidates. Paris officials were also reportedly upset that the British prime minister met privately with IOC members in his hotel suite in Singapore in an effort to persuade them to vote for London.
IOC president Jacques Rogge has already said none of the cities broke rules designed to stamp out corruption in the bidding process. In his words, "There is nothing wrong with having a conversation with a major politician from a bid city." Rogge also made it clear that he sees no reason to move the Games from London in the wake of terrorist bombings there.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
