IOC pleased with Beijing's preparation for 2022 Winter Games

The Coordination Commission of the Internatonal Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday lauded Beijing's preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

The IOC Coordination Commission, headed by Alexander Zhukov, held its first meeting here with the Beijing 2022 Organising Committee and visited venues in Zhangjiakou, Yanqing and Beijing during the three-day meeting which opened on Monday, reports Xinhua.

IOC vice president Juan Antonio Samaranch said the meeting was "informative" and "productive".

He said their discussions focused mainly on five aspects: government, sports, venues, commercial and engagement.

"We are very pleased with what we have seen and learned... Beijing 2022 is off to a very fast start. Initial preparations are on the right track," Samaranch said.

Executive vice president of the Beijing 2022 Organising Committee Zhang Jiandong said they have reached agreements with IOC officials in many aspects.

"The IOC coordination committee proposed some good advice and we will study and adopt them," he said.

The IOC praised the sustainability of Beijing's work, saying it illustrated the concept of Olympic Agenda 2020.

The preparation of Beijing 2022 takes full advantage of both the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy -- including existing competition venues, infrastructure and people with deep operational experience.

According to Zhang, there will be a total of 25 competition and non-competition venues for the Beijing 2022. Twelve venues are in Beijing, among which 11 are legacies of the 2008 Olympic Games.

"The concept design of the speed skating venue has been opened to international bidding and the construction will be started next April," he said.

"The construction work of competition venues will start next year and all of the venues will be finished by the end of 2019," Zhang said. "We have made the roadmaps and timelines of the preparations,"

"We have set up nine departments, two operation centers and have 170 working members, half of whom have been participated in the organising of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games or bidding for the 2022 Winter Games," Zhang said.

Beijing won the right to host the Games at the 128th IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur last year.

--IANS

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