IOC bigwigs say China should consider hosting both Summer, Winter Olympics again
Thomas Bach says ‘everyone loves to come to China’, while Juan Antonio Samaranch Jnr expects to see growth in Chinese winter sports
Top IOC officials Thomas Bach and Juan Antonio Samaranch Jnr expect China to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics again, and become a growing force in the latter on the back of the Beijing Games in 2022.
Speaking on the sidelines of a series of events in Budapest to mark the 130th anniversary of the Hungarian Olympic Committee on Monday, the pair also highlighted the importance of China’s sporting development to the Olympic Movement.
Bach’s comments came less than a month after the International Olympic Committee’s honorary life president visited Hong Kong during the National Games and said the Greater Bay Area had “all the ingredients” to stage an Olympics in the future.
The 71-year-old reiterated that view in the Hungarian capital, saying China should always consider being a candidate for major sports events.
“Hosting the Olympic Games once does not mean that such a huge country, with the sporting power of China, cannot host them again, whether Summer Games, Winter Games or Youth Olympic Games,” Bach said.
“Everyone loves to come to China for major events. The key is to carefully assess what best fits the long-term development plan of a city, a region and sport in China, and then make a decision accordingly.”