Everything You Need to Know About the 2022 Winter Olympics
If ice skating, half pipes, hockey and skiing are your thing, then you’re likely getting excited already about the next Winter Olympic Games, coming up in 2022.
And you’ll be happy to hear, the games are expected to bring a welcome return to a more normal sporting extravaganza, after the last summer event in Tokyo was forced to scale back due to ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 virus outbreak.
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Here is what we know so far about the Winter Olympics.
When are the Games?
The 2022 Olympic Games are scheduled for Feb. 4-20. The Opening Ceremony will take place Feb. 4 at Beijing National Stadium, which will also be the site of the Closing Ceremony. Organizers are allowing spectators at the ceremonies and competitions, but only from mainland China, and only if they meet COVID-19 safety protocols. However, NBC will likely be airing most of the events on their various platforms.
Where are the Olympics being held?
The 2022 Winter Olympics are taking place in Beijing, China, which is no stranger to hosting the world games. The city was also the location of the 2008 Summer Games. This 2022 event marks the first time that a city has hosted both the summer and winter games. It also marks the third consecutive Olympics held in East Asia, following the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and the 2020/21 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. But the streak ends there. For summer 2024, the games are headed to Paris.
Didn’t we just have the Olympics?
If you’re having deja-vu about another set of Olympic Games, you’re not alone. Normally, the summer and winter events are spaced two years part, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo were delayed by a year, pushing the timing much closer to the following 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Are there any new competitions this time?
In July 2018, the International Olympic Committee, which oversees all the games, announced the addition of seven new medal events for 2022, in part to attract more women and younger audiences. New events include: men’s and women’s big air freestyle, women’s monobob, mixed team competitions in freestyle skiing aerials, ski jumping, snowboard cross and mixed relay in short track speed skating.
What will athletes be wearing?
Ralph Lauren will once again provide the uniforms for the U.S. Olympic Team during the Opening and Closing Ceremony Parades, and create a “villagewear” collection for use throughout the games. The fashion brand has been outfitting the U.S. athletes since 2008. While its Opening Ceremony ensemble is still under wraps, the Closing Ceremony uniform will consist of a buffalo plaid hooded puffer jacket, fleece pants and leggings and an intarsia turtleneck sweater and hat. And like the uniforms it provided for the Tokyo Olympics, all the items are made in America and featured sustainably-minded materials such as recycled polyester and down and U.S.-grown wool.
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