INTERNATIONAL: Despite concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and mounting international criticism of its human rights record, China has pushed ahead with the world's biggest winter sports event - on schedule from February 4 to February 20. Beijing will also become the first city to host both the summer and winter games.
The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will kick off in four days. It will run from February 4 through February 20, with 15 sports and 109 medal events. Though the Opening Ceremony is on February 4, a few events get going two days prior to that. Early events will begin on February 2, Wednesday, and NBC primetime coverage begins on February 3 with live figure skating and men's and women's moguls .
Ninety-one countries will participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics , with approximately 3,000 athletes.
Because Beijing hosted the Summer Games in 2008 – making it the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Games – several venues will be reused for the 2022 Games.
The venues are divided into three zones: Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou.
In Beijing, there’s the National Stadium, also known as “The Bird’s Nest,” where the Opening and Closing ceremonies will be held. Also in this zone are the venues for curling, hockey, speedskating, short track speedskating, figure skating, and freestyle skiing and snowboard big air.
The International Olympic Committee has said among the Beijing safety principles were that all fully vaccinated participants would enter what it called a "closed-loop management system" immediately upon their arrival, within which they will move freely. This will cover all Games-related areas and stadiums as well as accommodation, catering and the opening and closing ceremonies, served by a dedicated transport system.
All domestic and international participants as well as the workforce in the system will be tested daily, Covid tests will be mandatory, and athletes will be restricted in their travels, the IOC has said.
Spectators are allowed, but only from mainland China.
For a full Olympics schedule, and access to live streams, go to NBCOlympics.com.
