ID :
375398
Tue, 07/28/2015 - 05:27
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Beijing A Reliable City To Host 2022 Winter Olympic Games - Wang Hui

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- Beijing believe they are a reliable choice to be selected as the host for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games since the country have proved through the success of hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics. China's 2022 Winter Olympic Games Bid Committee spokeswoman, Wang Hui said the 128th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Kuala Lumpur would be the last avenue for Beijing to win the bid to host the Winter Olympic Games in 2022. "We will make our last presentation to IOC members, here. The bidding session is important for us. The vote is not in our hand, it is ruled by IOC members," she told Bernama, here, Monday. The 128th IOC Session from July 31 to Aug 3 will decide key policy issues and in areas under its authority, including the election for the host city for the 2022 Winter Olympics and 2020 Youth Winter Olympic Games. The meetings of the Executive Board and the IOC Session, the presentations of the candidate cities, the vote to elect the host cities, the announcement ceremony of the host cities, and the signature of the Host City Contracts will all take place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). Wang said Beijing had many advantages to host the Winter Olympics, especially so with a sustainable economy which is in line with the Olympics agenda. Beijing already has 11 of the 12 sports venues that were built for the 2008 summer Games and does not need major construction for hosting the upcoming winter Games. "China has a big winter games potential. If we host the 2022 games, we will bring great potential for winter sports development for the culture in China and the whole world. "We will also inspire about 300 million people in China to be engaged in winter sports, which would largely change the landscape of winter sports in the world," she said. If the bid was successful, Beijing would be the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics. Beijing lacks high mountains in the immediate vicinity and its winters are known for being cold and dry, with only intermittent light snow but Wang was confident that man-made snow was now standard in big competitions to ensure firm and smooth slopes. The ski and sliding events have been proposed to be held at venues in Yangqing and Zhangjiakou, about 60 and 140 kilometers (40 and 90 miles) from the city, while for indoor events, venues in the Beijing city center can be used. To compensate for the distance, a high-speed rail line is being build to Zhangjiakou that organisers said will take only 50 minutes to reach. --BERNAMA

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