Beijing 2022 Makes History – The Winter Olympics is Back
For those who are worried about the lack of snow in Beijing, the outdoor skiing events will take place in two cities to the north-west of the capital, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou. These areas still aren’t renowned for an abundance of snowfall; however, China’s government and businesses have spent almost £3bn on the Games, which includes the production of around 1.2 million cubic metres of artificial snow. Although not as natural as the real thing, professional skiers are used to competing on the artificial snow, especially in an ever-warming world.
The event is sure to be a fantastic spectacle but the decision to allow Beijing to host the Games is shrouded in controversy and has attracted criticism and diplomatic action. China has been under recent fire due to accusations surrounding human rights abuse, predominantly centred around their alleged treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region.
As a result, numerous nations including the UK, USA, Canada and Australia, have announced a diplomatic boycott of the Games. This means that, while these nations still plan to send athletes to compete at the Games, they will send no government ministers or representatives, as a political statement.
Never-the-less, the Games are guaranteed to produce the heart-warming, emotional and inspiring stories that are synonymous with the Olympics, both Winter and Summer alike. One event that always catches the eye is the bobsleigh, partly because of the legendary Jamaican team. Beijing will represent the first time that Jamaica has had three different bobsleigh teams qualify for a Games, as they’re set to send the men’s four- and two-man teams and the women’s monobob team to compete.
The monobob is one of seven new additions to the program for 2022 and is a female-only, individual event. The best-ever finish for a Jamaican bobsleigh team is 14th and this year represents a genuine chance of improving that stat.
As always, the action will be broadcast throughout the world and will no-doubt leave people craving the mountains. For inspiration on where to plan a luxury ski holiday, check out our article on some incredible skiing opportunities in Courchevel. Or, if you’re interested in finding out how you can experience a Northern Lights and exhilarating mountain-activity experience, have a look at last week’s insight on Alaska’s Sheldon Chalet.