Beijing will become the first city to host both the summer and winter Olympics after winning the vote for the 2022 Games – but a lot of commentators are unimpressed with the IOC’s choice of venue.
Before for the successful bid was announced, Xinhua News Agency, the official press agency of the People’s Republic of China, was busy promoting Beijing as a city of ice, but people really weren’t buying it.
Beijing WINter Olympic Games 2022, Joyful Rendezvous upon Pure Ice and Snow! pic.twitter.com/XtQZ7YR14q
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) July 31, 2015
And the Oscar for the most bizarre bidding slogan in olympic history goes to ... @Beijing_2022 "Pure Ice and Snow" pic.twitter.com/oa5crsieqm
— Jens Weinreich (@JensWeinreich) July 29, 2015
After this morning’s announcement, social media was full of people pointing out the area’s obvious limitations.
What the snow-less mountain that will host the 2022 Beijing Olympics looks like in the middle of winter … pic.twitter.com/4P2fJS3P73
— TonySleek™ SWLagos15 (@kamparia) July 31, 2015
IOC: Yeah, soooo, we'd rather host the 2022 Winter Olympics in a place with no snow than risk lacking hotel rooms: http://t.co/dESnvduTSU
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) July 31, 2015
IOC selects a city w/o an inch of snow for the Winter Olympics? Must be practicing for Global Warming Games 2074: https://t.co/1GB2qgiRAk
— Tim Carman (@timcarman) July 31, 2015
Nothing says "Winter Olympics" quite like smog and fake snow: #Beijing2022 http://t.co/vMC9E6ldxb
— Steve Tanner (@Tannerman) July 31, 2015
Lizzy Yarnold, who won gold for Britain in the skeleton in 2014, told BBC Radio Five: “I do hope the IOC take the human rights issues into consideration and make sure there is an actual change for the better.”
Beijing will use some venues from the 2008 summer Olympics and will have mountain events up to 90 miles away from the city. British athlete Lizzy Yarnold warned that artificial snow creates different demands to real snow.
She added: “I know Beijing is a relatively warm place, and with the snow sports it [artificial snow] does make a huge difference – it impacts the speed and they need to take that into consideration when designing the venues.
“The venues will need to be technically excellent, need to be Olympic standard and I hope the IOC are going to make sure everything is ready.”
The victory will also once more focus attention on China’s human rights record.
The campaign group Human Rights Watch has called on the IOC to ensure China improves its human rights record, and many on Twitter echoed those sentiments.
#2022 Olympics awarded to Beijing. Sport and Rights Alliance calls on Olympic officials to protect human rights http://t.co/kHGJc6xYXW
— AmnestyUK Media Team (@NewsFromAmnesty) July 31, 2015
Beijing chosen to host the #2022Olympics, human rights will be first casualty. Here's why: http://t.co/oqM79IjJxM pic.twitter.com/nh90mrkVp8
— WorldUyghurCongress (@UyghurCongress) July 31, 2015
Beijing 2022 won the #2022Olympics a worrying time for Human Rights.IOC should face the risks http://t.co/MawDsO8C4g pic.twitter.com/zWMs8XyjoX
— Children Win (@ChildrenWin) July 31, 2015
The Beijing 2022 bid committee said in a statement: “We are honoured and humbled by the IOC’s decision to award Beijing the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic winter Games. It is with an incredible sense of excitement that we express our thanks to the IOC and the wider Olympic Movement.
“This will be a memorable event at the foot of the Great Wall for the whole Olympic family, the athletes and the spectators that will further enhance the tremendous potential to grow winter sports in our country, in Asia and around the world.”