International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach (Photo : Reuters)
Beijing is now in the sights of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which had completed its five-day tour on Feb. 18 of the Chinese capital's competitor, Almaty, Kazakhstan, in the bid for hosting the 2020 Winter Olympics.
The IOC's Chinese inspection tour will occur from March 24-28, prior to the voting session on July 31 in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, which will decide the ultimate host of the grand 2022 athletic event.
Speaking with sportswriters from the state-run Xinhua News Agency on Tuesday, former Chinese Olympic Committee vice president Wei Jizhong shared his view that the matter is a "50-50" contest at this stage, as both Almaty and Beijing are capable of holding the Winter Olympics.
For Wei, who has been contracted as an advisor by the Chinese government during the bidding process, the decision now comes down to suitability, while "the most important thing [for China] is not to make mistakes."
Beijing's host-city nomination for the 2022 Winter Olympics is especially significant for China, as a successful bid will place the capital in the history books as the only city that has staged both a summer and winter Olympic event.
The city's 2008 hosting role is also relevant on a practical level, as Beijing's official bid report, delivered to the IOC in January, explains that venues from the previous Summer Olympics, like the Water Cube swimming facility and the national indoor stadium, are fit for use in 2022.
While Chinese sporting celebrities, such as former NBA star Yao Ming and Olympic ambassador Shen Xue, have expressed glowing praise for Beijing's bid, the enthusiasm is also shared among the population.
The New York Times spoke with a young law student on the slopes of a Chongli ski resort, who said that a successful Winter Olympics bid is "a win-win" that "will definitely promote economic development."
