'Now, when we hear some calls to boycott the Games, it is really (the) wrong way to think, because sport unites people, sport breaks the barriers,' Mr Bubka said. -- PHOTO: AP

However, the IOC supremo acknowledged an Amnesty International report suggesting China's human rights record was worsening and said it would be discussed at meetings in Beijing next week.

'I have said many times that the IOC considers it is a wise choice in awarding the Games to Beijing and we have no regrets,' he said in Singapore, which will host the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

He pointed to Beijing having an excellent bid and to the added value of bringing sport and the Olympics to one fifth of mankind.

'So for all of these reasons we believe we had to award the Games to Beijing,' he said.

The IOC has long argued that the Olympics will be a force for good in China and that the event would help promote human rights.

But recent events, including a crackdown by China in Tibet and the jailing of prominent dissidents, have caused outrage internationally, sparking calls for a boycott of the August Olympics, or at least the opening ceremony.

Mr Rogge's comments came as France demanded that China start talks with the Dalai Lama and release political prisoners as a condition for President Nicholas Sarkozy attending the opening ceremony.

China says Tibetan rioters have killed 20 people in recent unrest. But Tibetan exiled groups say 135-140 people have been killed in the Chinese crackdown.

The death toll from the crackdown was before the latest outbreak of unrest, in southwest China's Sichuan province on Thursday, which left eight Tibetans dead, according to activist groups and Tibetan exiles.

Mr Rogge did not specifically refer to Tibet or the jailing last week of Hu Jia, a Chinese AIDS campaigner and prominent civil rights advocate, but said protests and freedom of expression must be respected.

'We would prefer not to have protests but we respect them,' he said.

'We are for freedom of expression, as long as it is non-violent, as long as it is dignified.'

In an interview published on Saturday, French Secretary of State for Human Rights Rama Yade told Le Monde newspaper there were three 'indispensable' conditions for Sarkozy to attend the Games opening.

She called for 'an end to violence against the population and the release of political prisoners, light to be shed on the events in Tibet and the opening of dialogue with the Dalai Lama', Tibet's spiritual leader.

Mr Rogge said he was aware of growing calls to boycott the Games but said he believed it had no momentum.

'We know that there is a discussion on boycotts, but we do not see a real momentum on boycotts by governments,' he added.

'There are talks of a potential boycott of the opening ceremony. I would not want to comment specifically on that.

'It is up to the heads of government to decide whether they want to come to Beijing or not. It is not something in which the IOC would intervene.'

Earlier this week, Amnesty said China was using the Olympics to crack down on dissent and that the rights situation was worsening as a result.

Mr Rogge side-stepped a direct answer on whether China's human rights record was getting worse, but said it would be discussed next week.

'As far as the Amnesty report is concerned, we are going to discuss that at the IOC executive board meeting that starts on April 10.'

He added that he would answer questions on the report after that. -- AFP