A Rome bid told the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday it was prepared to step aside in favour of New York if all the other candidates agreed, saying "it would be right to honour New York after the tragedy in this way".
But Rogge later discouraged suggestions that all cities planning to bid for the 2012 event should withdraw in favour of New York.
"I am against this proposal because we do not mix such tragedy with sport because it is impossible to hypothesise such a tragedy in the future."
The voting on the 2012 Olympic City will not take place until Sept 2005, and London is among one of many European cities considering a bid. Moscow has already announced, and Madrid, Dusseldorf, Leipzig and Stuttgart may think of entering the fray.
There is undoubtedly tremendous sympathy for what has happened in the United States, but the feeling is it is too early to say how the voting could take place given that it is more than four years away.
San Francisco, Washington, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Houston, Dallas, Tampa and New York have all submitted bids to the United States Olympic Committee, which will make its choice in October 2002.
Toronto, Paris and Istanbul, who lost to Beijing in the race to stage the 2008 Games, are still considering whether to bid.
Germany and Hungary are also thinking of putting their hats in the ring.
IOC president Jacques Rogge has dismissed claims New York should be automatically handed the 2012 Olympic Games in the wake of the suicide plane attacks in America.
