The International Olympic Committee will not force conflicts of interest on the crown prince if he becomes a member

Crown Prince Frederik will not pressured into taking a stand on politically sensitive subjects when if he becomes a member of the International Olympic Committee, according to current president Jacques Rogge.

The crown prince is one of six official candidates to join the IOC and it is likely his bid will be approved at the official congress in Copenhagen at the start of October.

Past criticisms of the prince have revolved around him taking a political standpoint, which goes against the role of the Danish constitutional monarchy. Crown Prince Frederik has vowed not to involve himself in political debates if elected as the Danish representative to the IOC.

Rogge has backed up that view and has said that Frederik will not be forced into situations that conflict with his royal duty.

‘Living in a monarchy myself, I understand quite well the problematic position, but we will never ask the Danish crown prince to do something which conflicts with his institutional role,’ said the Belgian Rogge. ‘If the crown prince ends up in a conflict of interest he can simple abstain from voting.’

Rogge said that the ability to abstain from controversial topics would not make the prince a less effective IOC member as he has ‘many personal skills and is unquestionably someone that will be listened to in Denmark [on the issue of sport]’.