OlymPicks: Putin to Attend Beijing Games, China Unveils New Bobsled

In OlymPicks, we highlight news, gossip, and developments regarding the buildup to Beijing's 2022 Winter Olympics.

Putin to Attend Winter Olympics

Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the Winter Olympics, having accepted China’s invitation, Russia’s Foreign Minister said Thursday. Russian media reports the minister made the announcement while visiting Tajikistan.

North Korea Gets Banned

While Putin is in, North Korea is out. The International Olympic Committee has banned the country from participating in Beijing 2022, due to the country's decision to not send a team to Tokyo 2020, citing concerns over COVID-19. In a statement, the IOC says they “provided reassurances for the holding of safe Games and offered constructive proposals to find an appropriate… solution” all of which were “routinely rejected” by North Korea.

Even though the country has been suspended from participating, the IOC has also said it will still allow individual North Korean athletes to participate in the Winter Games should they qualify for any events. But while the athletes can participate, they would not be able to compete under their national flag.

China Unveils Domestically-Designed Bobsled

On September 10th, two Chinese-designed bobsled prototypes – a two person and four person model – were unveiled to the public. The sleds, which were constructed over a period of 200 days, were designed with the input of over a dozen Chinese companies, some of which are involved in fields like aerospace.

The sleds have the capability of reaching top speeds of over 160 kilometers per hour, making them among the fastest in the world, designers say.

The prototypes will soon be submitted to international sporting regulators for official approval, and are expected to make their debut at the Winter Games in February.

Will Schools Close for Games?

International schools around Beijing are grappling with the question of whether or not they’ll need to close for the Olympics, with unconfirmed sources at some schools wondering what might happen to scheduling and course loads if such closures are required.

While public schools wouldn’t be affected by such a move, as most will be off for the Chinese New Year holiday, it would definitely throw a wrench into the spring semester for those who aren’t.

Watch the Olympics Countdown

Can’t bear not knowing how many days there really are until the 2022 Games? Just head to Wangfujing to find out.

A massive digital clock is on display on the pedestrian street, allowing you to track how much time remains – right down to the minute and second. It’s a good way to pass the *time* over the Mid-Autumn break, perhaps after gorging on mooncakes or, better yet, burgers.

READ: OlymPicks: Indoor Stadium Seeks New Nickname

Images: China Daily, sgscreed.com, chinanews.com, sipaphoto.com