China wants Beijing 2022 to improve country’s disability accessibility

Beijing, Jun 23 (EFE).- China wants the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to help improve the situation of the disabled in the country by building accessible venues and means of transportation for people with disabilities.

The event, to be held between Febr. 4 and Feb. 20 for the Olympians and Mar. 4 to Mar. 13 for the Paralympians “is already playing a positive role in creating jobs for people with disabilities,” games official Wang Meimei said at a Wednesday press conference.

For her part, the vice president and general secretary of the games’ Organizing Committee, Han Zirong, said Beijing 2022 would create a “sustainable legacy” for the Chinese capital and that the event would serve to promote tourism in the towns of Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, the other Olympic venues, as well as the practice of snow and ice sports in the country.

The vice president of the International Olympic Committee, Spaniard Juan Antonio Samaranch, said in a video broadcast at a press conference that the 2022 Beijing Winter Games “are already showing tangible benefit.” He spoke about the “commendable efforts of China” to ” involve millions of people in winter sports.”

With these Games, Beijing will become the first city in the world to host a summer Olympic competition and a winter one. EFE

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