International Olympic Committee

08 May 2023 – IOC President Thomas Bach was welcomed in Beijing this weekend by China’s Premier, Li Qiang. The IOC President was accompanied by the IOC Members in China, Yu Zaiqing, Li Lingwei and Zhang Hong.

The two leaders discussed the great success and the legacy of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. President Bach thanked the Chinese government for its support to hold the Games amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was possible thanks to China’s exceptional preparation.

“China and the IOC can now build on the outstanding success of these Olympic Winter Games and can benefit from the legacy that these Games have left for China and its people, but also for international winter sport. There is a winter sport before the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and one after,” the IOC President said. Beijing 2022 led to the engagement of 346 million Chinese people in winter sport and created interest amongst them.

President Bach informed Premier Li that the IOC will contribute its share of the surplus of USD 10.4 million from the organisational budget of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 to support the legacy of these Games. This share will be given to the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) and is intended to support the development of sport in China, in particular the continued engagement of the 346 million Chinese people in winter sport, with a special focus on young people. Please see the full story here.

Premier Li noted that the IOC has played a significant role in maintaining world peace and promoting the progress of humankind, in particular during this difficult period and during the pandemic.

He stressed the fruitful cooperation with the IOC and underlined the importance of the development of sport and China’s readiness to make an even greater contribution to the Olympic Movement and its unifying mission.

President Bach expressed the gratitude of the entire Olympic Movement for this offer. He also thanked the COC, whose President Gao Zhidan attended the meeting too, for the support COC has shown for the conclusions of the Olympic Summit, held in December 2022, and for the recommendations of the IOC Executive Board for International Federations and sports event organisers on the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport in international competitions, published on 28 March 2023.

The IOC President started his Beijing visit last Friday, when he was welcomed by COC President Gao Zhidan. Please see the full story here.