To mark one year until the start of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has shone the spotlight on the athletes preparing for next year’s games.
Formally inviting the National Olympic Committees (NOC) and their winter sports athletes to participate in the 2022 mega-event, IOC president Thomas Bach said: “One year from now, Beijing will write history as the first city ever to host both the summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games. These games will connect the Chinese people with the world.
“Having seen how China is overcoming the coronavirus crisis, we are very confident that our Chinese hosts will ensure safe and secure Olympic Games in full cooperation with the IOC.
“Every time that I have visited China, I am so impressed by the enthusiasm and support for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. This is why, we can say already now with great confidence: China is ready. Ready to welcome the world’s best winter sports athletes for unforgettable Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. We all are looking forward to this global celebration of sport.”
A digitally-led #StrongerTogether campaign will focus on athletes around the world and their progress towards Beijing 2022. Narrated by Chinese freestyle skier Eileen Gu, a new IOC film features iconic moments of past Olympic Winter Games, a glimpse of Beijing 2022’s venues, and self-filmed content from athletes’ preparations.
Preparations for next year’s games in China remain on track. All competition venues were completed by the end of 2020, with the remaining renovations and construction to be finished by the end of this year.
With the aim of getting 300 million people engaged in winter sports and having received around one million applications for volunteer positions, the Beijing 2022 Games will be transformative for both China and the global winter sports scene. There will be winter sports before the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and a new era of winter sports afterwards. This can already be seen from the numbers. Five years ago, there were only 460 ski resorts in China. This number grew to 644 by the end of 2019.
The Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 will also have a strong emphasis on sustainability. All venues will be powered by 100% renewable energy, while natural, low-carbon-emission CO2 refrigeration systems will be used at most of the Beijing 2022 ice venues – the first time this low climate impact technology will be used in China and at the Olympic Winter Games. Furthermore, seven out of the 12 competition and non-competition venues within the Beijing 2022 competition zone will be legacy venues from Beijing 2008.
Beijing will host the XXIV Olympic Winter Games from 4-20 February 2022. See more at beijing2022.cn