International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge on Saturday lauded the increased success of Asian athletes in international sport, a trend he said became noticeable at the Athens Olympics and would continue at the London 2012 Games.

Rogge, who is here for Friday night's Asian Games opening ceremony, said that the Athens Olympics witnessed the emergence of Asia and it was reinforced at Beijing 2008.

"In 2004, at the end of the Athens Olympics I said ...'we saw the rise of Asian continent in sport, as there were great performances, not just by China, but also by Japan, Korea and Thailand," said Rogge.

"This has been confirmed in Beijing 2008, where your country was No. 1 in the gold medal count with 51 gold. And this would continue definitely at London 2012."

The IOC has been tougher in the fight against doping since Rogge succeeded Juan Antonio Samaranch in 2001 as the president of the ruling body of the Olympic Movement.

Rogge acknowledges the IOC has a responsibility to be as impeccable as possible but it is unrealistic to say that there will be no doping in future.

"Doping will never completely disappear from sport because cheating is inevitably a human nature. Our duty is to reduce to as low as possible, and I think we have achieved that," said Rogge, who was a former surgeon.

The Youth Olympics, a brainchild of Rogge, were held in Singapore last summer with some 3,600 athletes from 205 countries and regions taking part.

Rogge said that he believes the Youth Olympics has a "bright future" but much work needs to be done.

"In life, everything can be improved. The organization was very successful, but you can always learn and improve for the future. You have to be humble and modest and never believe that you have achieved the final results," he said.