Beijing, a safe chocie for 2022 Games

A girl walks in front of a billboard promoting the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session at Kuala Lumpur Convention Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 27, 2015. [Photo/IC]

BEIJING - Seven years ago, China was putting the finishing touches on what was to become one of the most memorable Games ever. The 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing has left a far-reaching legacy to Beijing and China at large and the impetus given by the Games to the city's and broader China's development is still tangible.

Most importantly, the whole of China, including 10 million employees in areas as broad as venue design and construction, sports, marketing, hospitality, medical services, media operations, transport and many more, as well as 100,000 volunteers, could get the most unique experience that exists: delivering the biggest world sports event ever.

Add to this China's rich organizing experience in winter multi-sport events - such as two editions of the Asian Winter Games in 1996 and 2007 and one edition of the Winter Universiade in 2009, the 2015 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Shanghai, the FIS Snowboard Junior World Championships in Harbin, and the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship in Beijing among a multitude of smaller-scale events. China currently has 167 international technical officials registered by the Winter IFs, along with many more national technical officials.

Through this experience, China has developed and cultivated a pool of experts - including experts in specific areas as well as transversal specialists in matters such as sustainability, accessibility and many others.

On-going programs of the Beijing Olympic City Development Association (BODA) ensured that this pool of experts can be easily and efficiently put in action as of tomorrow to deliver another successful Olympic Games.

In addition to that, a number of sports officials from across China have been training at the Russian International Olympic University (RIOU) in order to gain specific expertise of organizing a Winter Olympics and Paralympics, from designing ice palaces and ski slopes to organizing ticket sales and relations with spectators, as well as legacy and post-Games usage of venues.

Wang Hui, head of Communications of the Beijing 2022 Bid Committee, said in a recent interview with Chinese media: "Take it from the example of the Beijing 2022 Bid Committee, where over 18% of the staff have international multi-sport winter event experience, over 20% have winter world championship experience, and 50% were part of the workforce for the 2008 Games.

"Having the opportunity to bring all these experts back for a common project and to the benefit of the Olympic Movement is not only and merely convenient. It is a major guarantee of a successful, risk-free delivery of the Games and a means to contribute to the sustainability of the Olympic Movement, by optimizing long-term legacies."

Picking up just three of the areas that are essential for the success of the Games: medical services, accommodation and marketing - Beijing ticks all the boxes in terms of experienced and enthusiastic professionals ready to be involved in the Games preparations.

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