Beijing confident in ability to stage streamlined, safe and splendid Games

As preparations continue for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, which kick off in about 60 and 90 days, respectively, authorities are confident of ensuring that the Games will be streamlined, safe and splendid.

"Right now a priority for the three competition zones of the Games is to ensure the quality of the test events," said Yan Cheng, executive director of the operation center of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, during a news conference in Beijing on Friday.

"From early October to Dec 10 international test events, three training weeks and two domestic test events will have taken place. This represents a comprehensive operation test with all factors considered before the start of the Games."

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will start on Feb 4, while the Paralympics will kick off on March 4 in three competition zones－downtown Beijing, its northwest Yanqing district and co-host city Zhangjiakou in Hebei province.

A total of 109 events of 15 disciplines across seven sports are included in the Winter Games, and the Paralympic Winter Games boast 78 events with six sports. The athletes quota of the Winter Games is 2,892, and 736 athletes will join the Paralympics.

According to the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee, there are six major focuses of the preparatory work in the following months, including promoting construction of the venues and infrastructure in a steady manner, refining competition organization and venue operation and strengthening support services.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still a major concern, pandemic prevention is also a priority for organizers.

According to protocols presented to the International Olympic Committee in October, all athletes and participants at next year's Games are urged to be fully vaccinated before arriving in China. Those who arrive unvaccinated will have to undergo a 21-day quarantine period at designated areas as is now required for ordinary international visitors.

All participants will be required to stay within a biosecure bubble at all times under a closed-loop management and be subject to daily tests and health checks. They will only be permitted to travel between their designated accommodations and sports venues on official transport vehicles, organizers said.

"We have been paying close attention to the development of the Omicron coronavirus variant and evaluating its possible influence on the Beijing Winter Olympics," said Zhao Weidong, director of the Media and Communications Department of the Beijing Organizing Committee, on Friday.

"We believe our anti-COVID-19 guidelines have undergone strict scientific evaluation, and the guidelines have been tested through our test events," Zhao said.

"It can effectively prevent the spread of the coronavirus and ensure safety of all participants. We have always considered pandemic prevention as our top priority and we'll have comprehensive pandemic prevention protocols during the Games," Zhao added.