Organizers issue fresh safety pledge

A senior official with the Beijing Winter Olympic Games' organizing committee said organizers will continue to provide a safe and advanced stage for all athletes and high-quality services for all media following the grand opening ceremony and days of smoothly run competitions.

"We are committed to pursuing the Olympic ideal with concrete actions," Beijing organizing committee vice-president and secretary-general Han Zirong said at a daily briefing on Sunday.

"We have remained committed to guaranteeing the Games' safe and smooth operations, and to providing comfortable, quick and convenient services for the athletes and all stakeholders."

All Games venues had been used for competitions and training as of Sunday.

Many participants have actively praised organizers, Han said.

The Canadian delegation's operations team sent a letter to the Olympic Village's staff that read: "Please accept this letter as an expression of the gratitude for your work and support as we get set up to support Team Canada athletes and staff in their quest for excellence at the Beijing Games.

"We truly appreciate the efforts that you continue to go to in order to support us and help us reach quick solutions. You have been very responsive to any request that we have and have made our operations a smoother process."

International Olympic Committee Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi has witnessed the entirety of the event's preparations.

"One thing that has really much impressed me over the last few months and years of preparation is that anything we have projected, and many things that have been designed since then, will produce long-lasting legacies－not only here but for the next Games and the development of future venues," he said.

Organizers say they have worked to ensure a "streamlined, safe and splendid" Olympics despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and especially the spread of the Omicron variant.

"Safety remains our priority," Han said. "The Games can't be splendid if they're not safe. These goals, plus streamlining, are important targets."

The organizing committee will continue to learn and improve as the Games go on.

"We are keeping close contact with the IOC to resolve problems that we find as quickly as possible," Han said.