SamaranchJr:Beijing2022wellontracktohosttheOlympicWinterGames_GuangmingOnlineJuanAntoniosesamaranchSalisachsChairoftheCoordinationCommissionfortheXXIVOlympicWinterGamesBeijing2022ThesuccessoftheOlympicGamesTokyo2020hasshowntheworldthatitispossibletohosttheOlympicGamesinthecurrentpandemic.Withtherightcountermeasuresinplaceandthecooperationofallstakeholders,theathletesoftheworldcanuniteandcompetesafelyinsport.AspartofourpreparationsforTokyo2020,alotofworkwascarriedouttoensuretheGameswereadaptedtothechallengesposedbythepandemic.Asaresult,over50measuresweredesignedtomaximisecostsavingsandincreaseefficienciesinGamesdelivery.ThiswasacontinuationofchangesintroducedinDecember2014aspartofOlympicAgenda2020,withtheaimofmakingtheOlympicGamesmoreflexibleandmoresustainable,simplertoorganiseandbetteradaptedtotheneedsoftheirhost.ThesereformshaverecentlybeenreinforcedwiththeadoptionofOlympicAgenda2020+5,withthekeytrendsshapingthefutureoftheOlympicMovementincludingsolidarity,digitalisation,sustainability,credibilityandeconomicandfinancialresilience.ThroughouttheOlympicGamesandParalympicGamesTokyo2020,theBeijing2022team,aswellasrepresentativesfromTokyo2020,Paris2024,MilanoCortina2026andLA28OrganisingCommittees,tookpartintheIOC’sGamesExperienceProgramme(GEP).TheprogrammefocusedontheMainOperationsCentre,venueoperations,sport-specificrequirementsandoperationsandstakeholderoperations,amongothertopics.ItispartoftheIOC’slong-termInformation,KnowledgeandGamesLearning(IKL)projectthathasbeendesignedtosupporttheplanning,deliveryandlegacyforupcomingOlympicSummerandWinterGameshosts.WehavereceivedverypositivefeedbackfromtheBeijing2022teamwhotookpartintheprogramme.IamconfidentthatBeijing2022willusetheirTokyoexperienceandrefineittobenefittheirGamespreparationsinthecontextofBeijingandaWinterGames.Beijing2022iswellontracktohosttheOlympicWinterGames,whichwillbeginwiththeOpeningCeremonyon4February.Allcompetitionvenuesarecomplete,andaseriesoftesteventswereheldfromOctobertoDecember2021totestthemfurther.Manyofthenon-competitionvenues,suchastheMainOperationsCentre(MOC)andtheOlympicTransportCommandCentre(OTC),arealreadyinoperation,whiletheMainMediaCentre(MMC)andtheZhangjiakouMountainBroadcastingCentre(ZBC)wereofficiallyhandedovertotheOlympicBroadcastingServices(OBS)earlierthisyear.Beijing2022isalsomakingmaximumuseofexistingvenues,includingvenuesusedatOlympicGamesBeijing2008.Someoftheiceevents,includingfigureskating,shorttrackspeedskating,icehockeyandcurlingwillbeheldinvenuesusedatthe2008Games,andtheOpeningandClosingCeremonieswillbeheldonceagainintheiconicNationalStadium,alsoknownasthe“Bird’sNest”.EvenbeforetheGameshavebegun,Beijing2022hasalreadymadegreatprogressindeliveringtheirlegacy.WithrecordnumbersofChinesepeopleengaginginwintersportduringthepastwinterseason,Beijing2022iswellonitswaytogetting300millionpeopleinChinaengagedinwintersport.Inthe2018-2019seasonalone,224millionpeopleengagedinwintersportacrossthecountry,accordingtotheChinaTourismAcademy.Chinanowhasatotalof654standardicerinksacrossthecountry,anincreaseof317percentsince2015,and803indoorandoutdoorskiresorts,anincreaseof41percentsince2015.ArticlecontributedbyJuanAntoniosesamaranchSalisachs,ChairoftheCoordinationCommissionfortheXXIVOlympicWinterGamesBeijing2022InterviewedbyXiaoLianbing,GecretaryGeneraloftheCenterforInternationalExchange,CommunicationandCooperation,GuangmingDailyAssistedbySongJuan,SamaranchFoundationEditor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.