IOC puts Beijing under the spotlight
Print Edition
MEMBERS of the International Olympic Committee’s Evaluation Commission arrived in Beijing yesterday for a 5-day inspection tour of the city bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Alexander Zhukov, its chairman, was welcomed at Beijing Capital International Airport by Liu Peng, president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, and Wang Anshun, Beijing’s mayor and president of the 2022 bid committee.
The 19-member commission will begin visiting sites in the capital today before checking other proposed venues farther afield.
Beijing is competing against Almaty in Kazakhstan, and if successful would be the first city to hold both the summer and winter games.
Mayor Wang said: “It is an honour to have the opportunity to present our vision for the Games to the IOC Evaluation Commission. We are ready to demonstrate that Beijing is the right choice for the Olympic Movement to host the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
“We have developed a highly robust Games concept, founded on athlete-centred, sustainable and economical principles. For the Olympic family, athletes and fans, Beijing 2022 would provide an unrivalled experience to enjoy the vibrancy of a major cosmopolitan city and winter sports scenery in the same day.
“For the evaluation commission members who recall Beijing from the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, they will see the tremendous changes that the city has enjoyed as a result and catch a glimpse of the endless new opportunities that the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games can bring.”
Organizers say hosting the games would raise the profile of winter sports in the world’s most populous nation.
Most of the proposed venues are left over from the 2008 Olympics, leading to significant cost savings.
However, key concerns include a lack of natural snow and Beijing’s notorious air pollution, The Associated Press reported.
According to Xinhua news agency, China has already set off on an ambitious “Long March” — getting 300 million people involved in skiing and skating events as promised in its bid for the Winter Games.
“We believe the Winter Olympics bid could boost participation and involvement in winter sports across China,” Liu said.
“The fast development of winter sports may also change the lifestyle of millions of Chinese and help them live a healthier and more enjoyable life.”
Winter sports have long been popular in the northeast provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning. A project entitled “Take Millions of Teenagers to Ice and Snow” has been ongoing for decades and IOC member Yang Yang was one of the beneficiaries.
“Thanks to this project, I had the chance to learn to skate at school over 30 years ago,” said Yang, who was born in Qitaihe, a small town in Heilongjiang.
Yang started skating at the age of 8 and was selected for the national team in 1995. She won China’s first Winter Olympics gold at Salt Lake City in 2002.
Yang now runs a skating center in Shanghai. On attracting 300 million Chinese people to winter sports, she said: “I don’t see why not. When we talk about the Winter Olympics, we are not only talking about Beijing, but also the rest of China.”
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