China, which hosts the Olympics, has suffered little apparent loss during the coronavirus pandemic

China, which hosts the Olympics, has suffered little apparent loss during the coronavirus pandemic. Two-time Paralympic athlete Tyler Carter hopes to arrive in Beijing on February 25, despite the extremely difficult hurdles he faces. The 28-year-old alpine skier, who is fighting for a spot on the U.S. team, has made up his mind that he will face “massive” coronavirus restrictions without blaming anyone.

China, which hosts the Olympics, has suffered little apparent loss during the coronavirus pandemic

“That’s the reality we’re in, and all the information I’ve got is that China is doing a great job of keeping everyone safe, making sure it takes Appropriate measures.”

Carter said he had no problem with pre-departure virus testing and more testing after arriving in Yanqing, Beijing. He’s ready to step into the new sports complex he hasn’t seen before — except on TV during the Olympics. He practices every day, either in the gym or in the snow. Carter’s foot was amputated when he was one year old.

Athletes who have already participated in the Olympics have just experienced the trip to Beijing that Carter is about to experience. Analysts believe that China’s “zeroing out” policy for the Winter Olympics poses a challenge to athletes around the world, but overall it shows signs of the host nation’s apparent success.

On Friday, the 2022 Winter Olympics kicked off in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping has promised that the Beijing Winter Olympics will be “a simple, safe and exciting Olympic event”.

About 3,000 athletes and their delegations compete at venues in and around Beijing.

Athletes, journalists and associated staff must operate in safe bubbles with only contact with each other. Police and security opened and closed the gates of buses and other approved vehicles approaching the fenced-in Olympic Hotel.

Those living in the bubble must be tested daily for the virus and live in an environment with climate-controlled sleeping pods, dedicated buses and robots from the airport to the venue, rather than humans making food and cocktails for them.

Additional pressure

Mark Thomas, managing director of S2M Group, a UK-based sports consultancy focused on Chinese events, said if athletes could go to Beijing bars to meet locals after the event, They will feel more energized. Athletes and analysts also said it would feel different if players performed in stadiums packed with cheering fans.

Unlike the pre-coronavirus Olympics, athletes at this edition have little chance to pre-familiarize themselves with the race’s slides or practice in the host city before the race. In addition, athletes can be banned from events if they test positive for Covid-19, so even on the eve of the Olympics, many athletes self-lock themselves and adjust their training to ensure they test negative for the Games.

“It’s probably going to make all of the elite sports jerky, and that’s not good, especially when it comes to tobogganing, singles In fairly dangerous sports like sledding and downhill skiing, it’s a risk.”

“I think it’s wrong to say that this Olympics will not affect athletes’ performance and their emotions,” Ma Jianming said. “But on the other hand, I think there’s a general stoic attitude in sports that it’s a privilege to be able to play, to be involved, and to be able to really do what you love and compete at the top level.” he added.

“Can you imagine what this is like for an athlete,” said John Swartzberg, a clinical professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley.

“You basically have to fly across the world to get there, But minimal interaction with others, certainly no interaction with the outside world, and then flying away from there,” Swartzberg said. “If you’re sick, or you test positive, you’re quarantined and you may miss your game.”

Swartzberg said China’s strategy is to close the door by blocking as many channels as possible for the spread of the new coronavirus . Comprehensively contain any spread of the new coronavirus.

The “us versus them” mentality

After several cluster outbreaks and lockdowns in January, China, which first reported the coronavirus outbreak, is desperate to prevent any cross-contamination between Olympians and the public.

Scott Harold, a Washington-based senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, a research firm, said the restrictions on the outbreak have made many Chinese feel like their country is a country free of the virus, while multiple countries in the outside world are struggling. to combat the Omicron strain.

Blackcourt said the barriers between athletes and the public reinforce Xi’s idea of ​​making his country more “unified.”

“One of the things Chinese leaders have done through the coronavirus is to reinforce a long-standing message in Chinese propaganda and political messaging, that the outside world is threatening China, the outside world is unfairly discrediting China, and the outside world is unfairly discrediting China. The world is not as pure and beautiful as China,” he said.

China’s optimistic statement

Typically, Olympic host countries use the Games to showcase their host city and local culture to the world. China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism is planning to consolidate the sports, culture and tourism industries in Beijing and its co-host city Zhangjiakou in the northwest after the Olympics, according to Xinhua, China’s official news agency.

But Ma Jianming said the Chinese public’s enthusiasm for the country’s 176 athletes is growing through watching TV and social media activities. His company organizes sporting events in China. On China’s ubiquitous WeChat messaging service this week, images of the Olympics quickly replaced Spring Festival wishes. In his speech

at the banquet held for the opening of the Winter Olympics, Xi Jinping said that Beijing “adheres to the concept of green, shared, open and honest hosting of the Olympics, spares no effort to overcome the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, earnestly fulfills its solemn commitment to the international community, and ensures that Beijing’s Winter Olympics will be guaranteed. The Olympics are going on as planned.” Alpine skier Carter remains optimistic about the possibility of participating in the Beijing Winter Paralympics. “The only way to make this work is to keep us in the bubble,” he said.