On the occasion of the conclusion of the Beijing Winter Olympics, at noon today, IOC President Bach was once again interviewed by the Central Radio and Television Station at the Bird's Nest Studio. Bach said winter sports will change dramatically through the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. "Because in China we already have 300 million people involved in ice and snow sports. Winter sports will have great potential, and the International Federation of Winter Sports is very happy to see this result, and has also agreed with all relevant parties in China to make winter sports not limited to the Winter Olympics, but sustainable. ”
Bach said that at the Beijing Winter Olympics, the athletes really showed their spirit and let us see friendship, understanding and peace. For example, athletes from Ukraine and Russia can hug each other, for example, I also saw Chinese athletes show support to American athletes, giving them an Olympic badge to show their hospitality. We also saw that at the opening ceremony, many athletes also clapped their hands to Chinese volunteers, and there are many such examples that show us that the Olympic Games can transcend political strife.
When talking about the enthusiasm, ways and depth of Chinese people's participation in ice and snow sports after the Beijing Winter Olympics, Bach believes that winter sports must be able to change some of people's lifestyles, more sports also means that lifestyles and bodies are healthier, this health is not only physical health, but also mental health, so we can see that during the epidemic, mental health and physical health are more important, which can help us cope with some of the restrictions caused by the epidemic.
"At the societal level, we see that more young people are now learning about the value of sport through sport: solidarity, respect for rules, learning, team spirit, constantly exploring and even pushing their limits in sports. For the sports industry, the Winter Olympics are also an important driver. According to our forecast, the market value of winter sports in China will reach $150 billion by 2025. We see that China's volume is very large, which will also bring a huge boost to winter sports around the world. ”
Regarding the performance of the Chinese delegation and how such a performance will play a role in the development of winter sports in China, Bach said: "I am very pleased to see the gold medal of the Chinese team, especially the gold medal of Gu Ailing's big jump, and the gold medal of the Chinese team of figure skating and pairs free skating yesterday. These athletes will become role models for people, not only for winter sports, but also for Chinese sports, and we can see that these athletes around the world will inspire all people to participate in sports. So these winning athletes will be our role models, inspiring people further, and becoming ambassadors for Olympic sports and Olympic values. ”
As of February 17, the total number of cross-media contacts on the CCTV platform of the Beijing Winter Olympics has reached 48.474 billion times, of which 31.973 billion times have been reached on TV and 16.501 billion times on new media multi-platform. That is to say, three days before the end of the Winter Olympic Games, the communication of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games has exceeded the overall cross-media reach of the Tokyo Olympic Games with 47.905 billion times. As the Winter Olympics drew to a close, Bach praised CCTV's coverage and dissemination of the event on an unprecedented scale and success.
Bach said: "As you just said, the Central Radio and Television Station has also really aroused the enthusiasm of the Chinese people for the Winter Olympics, so that the Chinese people know more about the Winter Olympics, and the Chinese people can share their enthusiasm for the Winter Olympics with each other." In this regard, the IOC greatly appreciates the success achieved. Because through such broadcast reports, the Olympic spirit and values can be further promoted in China. At the same time, we can also see that the Central Radio and Television Station has made great contributions to the broadcasting of the International Olympic Committee through OBS, and colleagues have also achieved good results in various work, which has also added luster to the extensive television broadcast around the world. ”
Commenting on what future cooperation between CCTV and the IOC can be, Bach said: "We believe that our cooperation will continue to strengthen, especially on CCTV16, which is the Olympic Channel. This channel can let these athletes serve as role models to spread their stories and let more Chinese people understand these stories. In this way, we can further explore some of the stories we already have, through the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and international events, so that everyone can learn more about the background of the event. So I believe there is a lot of potential in this area, and we will further strengthen cooperation in this regard. There are some other places, such as technological breakthroughs, like the main station and CCTV in the past few years are in the 8K and other technology trials and applications, and we believe that this aspect of the work will continue, we are also very willing to share our experience, especially with the Chinese side to strengthen cooperation, in the broadcast of each other to learn from each other, common progress. ”