BERLIN Germany has a good chance of hosting the 2012 Olympics, according to newly-elected International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge.

"Germany has everything going for it", Rogge said on Tuesday in an interview with **** Die Welt **** newspaper, citing the country's "global reputation as master of organization and discipline".

But he stressed that as IOC president he would remain neutral and would not favor Germany over other candidates.

The IOC's credibility took a heavy blow after it was revealed 10 members were either expelled or had resigned for accepting bribes in Salt Lake City's successful bid to stage the 2002 Winter Games, Reuters reported.

Rogge said he hoped an African country would be able to host the games as soon as possible but added that the facilities had to be right.

"The most important thing is that there are good games for the athletes. So it doesn't make sense to compromise the quality just to please a continent," Rogge said.

The 59-year-old Belgian surgeon reiterated that the war on drugs in sport can never be fully won.

"We will never be able to win... 10,000 Olympic candidates are never 10,000 saints.

"Our task is to reduce the amount of cheating to the lowest possible level. There is still a lot of room for improvement. Today's level is not acceptable."

But rogge said he was confident the possible threat of genetic manipulation among athletes could be met.

"That is one of the great challenges of the future. But I am not pessimistic... Investigations into genetic transfers show that it can be proven through tests."