In preparation for the much-awaited 2022 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Chongli, China, about 66,000 personnel are set to undergo intensive professional training to cater to the needs of the event.

Like Us on Facebook

"The 66,000 people, who are involved in all Winter Olympics-related work such as games management and marketing, will be trained by universities and professional institutes," said Liu Xiaoma, an official at the Hebei procince sports bureau.

Approximately 50 million yuan (US$7.7 million) per year will be allocated by the province for the training of personnel. During the Olympic games, Chongli will purportedly host events such as cross-country, freestyle and skiing events, according to Chinese state media.

Meanwhile earlier this week, Hebei province kicked off its initial provincial mass snow season in a ski resort near the Great Wall. A number of ice and snow events will be presented across all the cities in the province.

"It will last until next February and two million people are expected to take part," Hebei's provincial sports bureau vice director.

During the 128th IOC session in Kualal Lumpur, Malaysia, in July, Beijing won the bid against Almaty in Kazakhstan to host the 2022 Winter Games. The former won over the latter as it boasts of a number of tourist attractions, as well as infrastructures that can cater big events. This made Beijing the first country to host both the Winter and Summer Olympics. 

During the 2008 Summer Olympics, city has proved its ability to control smog. During the a news conference in July, Beijing 2022's press and communications department deputy director Xu Jicheng stated that "technically the pollution has been reduced and controlled, we have seven more years to go and it will be sunshine and white clouds." 

Tags2022 Winter Olympics, Almaty, Kazakhstan, Chongli