Planned Test Events for Beijing Winter Olympics Scrapped due to Coronavirus

16th November 2020

Last modified on May 13th, 2021

The International Olympic Committee has said the planned international test events that were scheduled to place in the 2021 season will not now take place.

There have been growing fears about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on test events for Beijing 2022.

Alpine skiing, speed skating, figure skating, ski jumping and Nordic combined were some of the disciplines due to see test events.

Athletes planned to come from across the world to see the facilities ahead of competition and the organisers were to use the events to test the facilities and organisational methods.

Test events for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics are exempt from a ban on international sporting competitions taking place in China that was imposed by the Chinese Government.

However many international athletes are unable to travel to China or on arrival would face strict quarantine restrictions.

It is this fact that has led to the decision.

“The current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting many parts of the world means that travel restrictions are currently in place, and the travel situation is likely to remain complex for the coming months in which the Beijing 2022 test events were scheduled,” said the IOC in a statement.

Instead there will be a series of ‘adapted testings’ where the facilities will be used but not necessarily in a competition format or with international athletes present.

The IOC claims the Games are ‘well on track and the new arrangements will “reduce the complexity of this season for all involved, including the athletes”.

“This concept of adapted sports testing is fully in line with the spirit of Olympic Agenda 2020 and its New Norm. It is already being applied in Tokyo for its test events,” said the IOC.

The new arrangement will mean that many international athletes will not get the opportunity to see and use the facilities ahead of Beijing 2022.