| By Gale Staff |
Just six months after the close of the last Olympic Games, the Winter Olympics will officially begin with the opening ceremonies today. Also known as Beijing 2022, the much-anticipated event will take place with eager spectators around the world watching and cheering from home. While a select group of people will be allowed to watch the Games in person, there will be no local spectators or fans from outside of China in the stands.
Based on reports, getting athletes ready for their journey to Beijing has truly been an Olympic feat! Because athletes aren’t allowed to fly by commercial airlines due to Covid pandemic protocols, special charter flights have been arranged. Once in China, everyone associated with the Games will need to remain in the “closed-loop” Olympic bubble. There will be daily coronavirus testing for all athletes, officials, volunteers, reporters, and even support staff in charge of cleaning and cooking.
These challenges have not stopped the Games from moving forward. The Covid-related rules are no match for the athletes who have spent so much of their lives training and sacrificing to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime chance to represent their home countries. Athletes will participate in 15 winter sports from ice skating to snowboarding. There will be an incredible 109 events, including seven new events like men’s and women’s big air freestyle skiing and the mixed team snowboard cross.
Life is challenging for everyone right now. We’re all missing out on opportunities to connect. But for a few weeks in February, we’ll be united as a global audience taking in the beauty and danger of the brave athletes competing on ice and snow. Stay tuned to Gale In Context: Global Issues and other Gale In Context databases for future content and analysis of the 2022 Beijing Winter Games as well as information on the upcoming 2022 Winter Paralympics in March.
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