PARIS (AFP) - The Olympic Games merry-go-round of summer sports is set to come to an end according to International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge on Thursday.

Speaking in a telephone conference, the Belgian said that after next year's event in Beijing, the summer Games programme will consist of a permanent base of 25 sports with up to three possible additions for each new tournament.

That will be ratified at the next IOC congress in Guatemala City next month.

"For the Olympic programme there is a new procedure in place that will have to be submitted to the session in Guatemala," said Rogge.

"There will be a core group of 25 sports and above that three more to be voted for by the commission."

In Beijing there will be 26 sports but one of those will then be dropped from the list of protected disciplines.

Once among the 25 protected sports, those disciplines will be largely untouchable.

"The core sports would only change for serious circumstances," added Rogge.

The number of added sports, up to three, will be decided on a Games by Games basis.

Doping was also on the agenda with Rogge insisting that the IOC will push Spanish authorities to allow evidence from the bungled Operation Puerto investigation to be used against suspected dope cheats in cycling.

He also discussed the subject of stripping past Olympic medal winners who subsequently admit to or are found guilty of doping of the medals they won.

"We have to respect the law and the rights of the athletes and judicial rules," he said.

"From a practical point of view, no way can we strip medals from more than three years back.

"These athletes are Olympic champions but only by name, they don't have the moral rights of being a champion."

Rogge was also asked on who he thought would win the right to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, with Sochi, Pyeongchang and Salzburg in the running.

The winner will be decided next month in Guatemala.

"I believe it will be very close. There are three candidates of a very high quality," said Rogge.

"What will make the difference is the confidence the IOC has in the bid committee. The human factor is very important."\