Olympics-Rogge praises London's progress, and logo

LONDON, June 14 (Reuters) London 2012 chiefs have been given a timely boost by International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge as a three day inspection of the city's progress concludes.

Members of an IOC Coordination Commission will announce their findings later today after a series of presentations from the London organising committee (LOCOG) but Rogge is already confident that the project is on track.

''The reports I am getting show that in the initial period of two years, London is ahead of every host city we have had in the past. That includes Beijing,'' he said in an interview in the Daily Telegraph.

''Beijing is now almost ready, which means they have done a tremendous job since the beginning, and now we are one year from the Games.

''I think I will be able to say that again in 2011 because London is progressing extremely well.'' Rogge even gave his support to the controversial logo which was launched earlier this month -- a graffiti style ''2012'' which has come in for severe criticism.

''I took a little mental effort to read the numbers, which I think is a good thing,'' Rogge said. ''It appealed to me but I can understand why other people don't like it.

''My forecast is that with time and with the possibility of using it in different ways, people will get used to it and like it. I'm sure it won't be a hot topic at the opening ceremony in 2012.'' LOCOG are in discussions with the creators of the logo, which cost an estimated 400,000 pounds (8,000), after a video trailer of it on the official Web site triggered a number of epileptic fits.

REUTERS TB VV1553