IOC evaluation commission report for 2022 Winter Olympics bid published

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) released on Monday the report by the evaluation commission for the Olympic Winter Games 2022.

This is the first report following the unanimous approval of Olympic Agenda 2020, the strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, in December last year. It clearly highlights the opportunities and challenges associated with hosting the Olympic Winter Games in 2022 in both candidate cities, Almaty and Beijing.

Almaty's vision for the Games mentioned in the report is rooted in the desire to accelerate economic and social reforms; build on the country's winter sports heritage; and showcase the positive aspects of Almaty and Kazakhstan, said the IOC evaluation commission report. The vision is aligned with the Kazakhstan 2050 strategy.

Beijing's vision for the Games seeks to incorporate winter sports into people's lives, with the ultimate goal of improving overall fitness and health, said the IOC evaluation commission report. Beijing 2022 has offered a regional concept intended to develop a winter sports market for more than 300 million people in China. This vision is fully aligned with national economic growth strategies and priorities.

The IOC evaluation commission for the Olympic Winter Games 2022, chaired by IOC Member in Russia Alexander Zhukov, analysed the candidature files submitted by the cities in January and made on-site inspections from Feb. 14-18 (Almaty) and March 24-28 (Beijing). Visits were conducted using a more collaborative approach with the cities and with a strong focus on dialogue and engagement. Both cities have been regularly encouraged to reflect the spirit of Olympic Agenda 2020 in their bids. This includes reforms designed to allow greater flexibility in the bid process, a stronger emphasis on legacy, lower costs and a greater focus on sustainability.

Together with each bid team, the evaluation commission examined the 14 themes of the IOC's candidature questionnaire, which includes topics such as vision, legacy and engagement, transport, accommodation, finance and sustainability. The commission heard the cities' proposals on 'athlete experience', a theme of primary importance for the IOC and added to the evaluation of the cities as a result of Olympic Agenda 2020.

In keeping with the guidance of Olympic Agenda 2020, the commission also sought assurances related to non-discrimination and other principles contained in the Olympic Charter and the Host City contract.

IOC members will have the opportunity to study the report ahead of the 2022 candidate cities briefing that will be held on 9 and 10 June in Lausanne. During this meeting, the candidate cities will have the opportunity to present their candidatures to the IOC Members and the Presidents and Secretaries General of the International Olympic Winter Federations and answer their questions. For the first time, the evaluation commission will present a report at the briefing and be available to answer members' questions.

"The evaluation commission has made sure that its report gives an accurate, objective and fair assessment of each of the two candidate cities," aid the chairman of the 2022 evaluation commission Alexander Zhukov. "We have engaged in an open and interactive dialogue with each city and laid out strong foundations for future collaboration regardless of which city wins in July. This new approach is the result of the discussions generated by Olympic Agenda 2020 and it is encouraging to see how this translates in practice".

The host city for the Olympic Winter Games 2022 will be elected at the 128th IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur following a final presentation by the cities to the full IOC membership on July 31. Endi