Beijing, Almaty in 2022 duel
Print Edition
BEIJING and Almaty faced off for the first time as the rival cities presented their bids for the 2022 Winter Games to hundreds of Olympic delegates in Bangkok yesterday.
The Chinese and Kazakh cities are the last two standing after withdrawals by four other candidates from the costly process, with Beijing now considered the strong favorite.
Neither bid looks perfect with Kazakhstan a newcomer to hosting international events, and Beijing often hit by pollution and with scant snow, as well as little tradition in winter sports.
But both promised to deliver an outstanding tournament in what will be the third Olympics in a row in Asia, following the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics and Tokyo’s Summer Games in 2020.
Beijing Mayor Wang Anshun flew in for the presentation, at the Association of National Olympic Committees general assembly, despite the upcoming APEC meeting in his city.
“With the Olympic Games the city of Beijing aims to make history by becoming the first city that has hosted both the Summer Games and the Winter Games,” Wang told the general assembly.
“Beijing is inspired by the aspirations of the Olympic movement and with your support Beijing will rise to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. We will host a Games that is secure, reliable and risk-free.”
The promotional video for Beijing’s bid, themed “Joyful Rendezvous on Pure Ice and Snow,” featured 2008 Olympic venues like the Water Cube and the promise of a high-speed rail link 200 kilometers to Zhangjiakou, the proposed hub for snow sports.
Almaty’s bid team, in matching blue suits and red ties, presented a slick apple-style logo and promised an event in a genuine winter sports center with most venues already in existence. They include the Shymbulak ski resort, which dates back to the 1950s, and the Baluan Sholak Sports Palace, which was built in 1967. Both were renovated for the 2011 Asian Winter Games.
Almaty is Kazakhstan’s biggest city but its population of 1.5 million is dwarfed by the 11.5 million inhabitants of Beijing.
The IOC will announce the winner on July 31, 2015.
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