Olympic officials deliver positive updates on latest preparation work

The International Olympic Committee's Coordination Commission for the Winter Olympics held its sixth meeting with the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee (BOCOG) via video link on Tuesday.

Cai Qi, secretary of the Communist Party of China Beijing municipal committee and president of the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee, and Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission, provided updates on the final stretch of preparations for the Games.

"The flame carrying the Olympic spirit arrived in Beijing recently, and the first Playbook that outlines anti-COVID-19 measures for Beijing 2022 was published," said Cai. "We also celebrated the 100-day countdown and unveiled the medal designs for the Games, while the test events are running smoothly.

"The spread of COVID-19 across the world poses a challenge for organizing the Olympic Games, but we believe that the IOC and BOCOG can work together for a shared future, guiding stakeholders to observe the Playbook, endeavoring to stage safe and impressive Winter Games," Cai added.

Samaranch Jr. heaped praise on local organizers, saying: "BOCOG has done a great job organizing the test events. International organizations and athletes delivered positive feedback on the venues.

"China encourages more people to embrace winter sports, and the Playbook is also an important guarantee for safe Games," Samaranch Jr. said. "The IOC will closely coordinate with BOCOG to ensure a successful Winter Games."

Bach thanks G20

IOC president Thomas Bach thanked the Group of 20(G20) Leaders for their support of Beijing 2022.

"We look ahead to the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics 2022 as opportunities for competition for athletes from around the world, and which serve as a symbol of humanity's resilience," read the G20 Rome Leaders' Declaration as their summit concluded in the Italian capital on Sunday.

"The IOC warmly welcomes the recognition and support of the G20 Leaders' Summit for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022," read a statement from Bach published on the IOC website.

Beijing 2022 was also on the agenda during the last G20 Summit, held in Saudi Arabia in November 2020, when the leaders pronounced: "We look forward to the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022."

The United Nations also voiced support for the Games in a declaration last November.

A resolution entitled "Sport as an enabler of sustainable development" read: 'With appreciation to all upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games, in particular those to be held in Tokyo in 2021, in Beijing in 2022, in Paris in 2024, in Milano-Cortina, Italy, in 2026 and in Los Angeles, United States of America, in 2028, as well as the Youth Olympic Games to be held in Dakar in 2026...... future hosts of such Games and other member states to include sport, as appropriate, in conflict prevention activities and to ensure the effective implementation of the Olympic Truce during the Games."

Hockey boost

Meanwhile, ice hockey's world governing body has decided not to remove the Chinese men's team from Beijing 2022.

Following a three-day Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) stated Tuesday that it has no plans to rule China out of the competition at the Games following concerns over the squad's relatively poor standard of play.

"The IIHF and the Chinese Ice Hockey Association are working together to schedule two games with the Chinese national team in a joint effort to evaluate the status of the team's preparations for Beijing 2022," read a statement on the governing body's website.

"The eligible national team players will compete as part of (Russia-based) Kunlun Red Star in the Kontinental Hockey League team's games on Nov 15 and 17. Following the games, the IIHF Council will reconvene to discuss the next steps forward."

Newly elected IIHF president Luc Tardif, who said in September that the Chinese men's team could be prevented from playing at Beijing 2022 due to its "insufficient sporting standard", briefed the Council on the team's status.

"To be clear, the IIHF is not going to remove the Chinese team from the Olympic Games, the status of the men's national team as a host nation participant in the Olympic ice hockey tournament was confirmed by Congress and remains unchanged," Tardif said.

"We are working with the CIHA to confirm their player eligibility according to IIHF rules, and we will continue to assist them as they work toward preparing their team for the Olympic Games," he added.

The Olympic men's ice hockey tournament is scheduled for Feb 9-20, 2022.

Xinhua