"The Olympic Movement is grateful to 'Civilization Magazine' for having successfully shown how much it understands and supports the ideals and values of Olympism and how the Olympic Games are so much more than just a sports event," Rogge wrote recently in a letter to the magazine.

The IOC chief called the magazine's special "Olympic Series" part of the Beijing 2008 legacy, saying they have offered a unique opportunity to people throughout China and the world to learn about and discover the values of the Olympic Movement - values of peace, universality and the joy of sport and have reminded all what the Olympic Games are about: a universal gathering of people from throughout the world, with the same goal and the same enthusiasm.

"There is no doubt that the well known 'Civilization Magazine' has been instrumental in shaping the perception of sport and of the Olympic Games over the last seven years, since that day on 13 July 2001 when Beijing was chosen as the host city for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad," wrote Rogge.