"Double Olympic man" Edgar: China will host a very successful Winter Olympics

Anthony Edgar, a foreign expert of the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee and former director of the Media Operation Department of the International Olympic Committee, said in an exclusive interview with People's Daily a few days ago that China will provide the highest level of media operation guarantees and services to ensure the smooth coverage of media reporters for the Winter Olympic Games.

Anthony Edgar, a foreign expert at the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee. People's Daily Xu Zheng photo

Edgar has long been involved in media promotion of the Olympic Movement. He has visited China more than 40 times to prepare for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. In 2020, Edgar, who has been involved in the IOC for 18 years, stepped down as director of media operations and chairman of the press committee of the IOC. At present, he is employed by the Beijing Winter Olympic Organizing Committee to guide the media operation of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

"I love this job because I can pursue both the sports and media careers I love." Edgar said.

Media personnel are the largest group of people directly involved in the Olympic Games in addition to athletes, and they are also an important carrier for the dissemination of Olympic events. As Samaranch, honorary president of the IOC, put it, "The media is the judge of the success of the Olympic Games". Therefore, doing a good job in the operation of the media and ensuring their smooth completion of their work is an indispensable task for a successful Olympic Games.

"The Beijing Winter Olympics have done an excellent job in media operations, and the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee will provide the highest level of media operation support and services, including first-class facilities, advanced technology and information systems, convenient transportation and intimate accommodation," Edgar said. ”

The Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are the world's largest winter sporting events and will bring together media professionals from around the world. Edgar said that although the new crown epidemic has brought many challenges to the hosting of the Winter Olympics, China has taken a series of epidemic prevention measures to ensure that a simple, safe and wonderful Winter Olympics is held.

On 13 December 2021, the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee and the Beijing Winter Olympic Organizing Committee issued the second edition of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Epidemic Prevention Manual, which provides more detailed information on vaccination, customs entry requirements, pre-departure testing, Winter Olympic games, closed-loop management, accommodation, transportation, catering, nucleic acid testing, health monitoring, and close management.

Edgar revealed in an interview that he entered the closed-loop management of the tournament on January 4. People in the closed loop travel to and from venues, stations, and workplaces through special vehicles, without touching the city level. Edgar said that closed-loop management is an original epidemic prevention measure for the Beijing Winter Olympics, which can effectively block the contact between Olympic-related personnel and the public, and greatly reduce the risk of epidemic transmission.

Edgar praised China's Olympic legacy work. He said that landmark buildings such as the "Bird's Nest" and "Water Cube" left for Beijing by the 2008 Summer Olympics played a full role after the games, bringing health and joy to the people. "The purpose of hosting the Olympic Games is not only to select olympic champions, but also to make the Olympic legacy benefit the people." Edgar said.

The goal of "bringing 300 million people to participate in ice and snow sports" at the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games has been achieved. Edgar said that the successful hosting of the Winter Olympics is bound to further promote the development of ice and snow sports in China. After the games, many Winter Olympic venues will be open to the public, providing a good place for outdoor fitness, leisure and entertainment for the general public in winter.

Beijing is the world's first "City of Double Olympics". Edgar is also a "double Olympic player" who participated in both the Beijing Summer Olympics and the Beijing Winter Olympics. At the end of the interview, he said that Beijing has accumulated rich experience in preparing for the Olympic Games and has a very professional team. "I believe that China will host a very successful Winter Olympics just like the successful Summer Olympics."