Beijing Winter Olympics plays pivotal role in bringing world together, says expert

ISLAMABAD - The Beijing Winter Olympics will play a pivotal role in bringing the world together, says one expert.

China's commitment to hosting the Winter Olympics in a green, sharing and open manner has set a good example for the world and should be greatly appreciated, as it provides a platform for people from diverse backgrounds to participate, Muhammad Israr Madani, president of International Research Council for Religious Affairs, an Islamabad-based non-governmental organization, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

By carrying forward the Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger, Together", China has sent a positive message to the world, and the 2022 Games would be a source of joy for people, especially during times of a pandemic, he said.

Athletes from all around the world including Pakistan are excited and looking forward to participating in the mega sports event, he said.

"I wish that all athletes will join Beijing Winter Olympics to witness this big event and can celebrate it because it will support and help us in the regional connectivity through different games, cultural events," he said.

With the vision of involving 300 million people in winter sports, China has contributed a lot to popularizing winter sports and created huge opportunities for not only Chinese people but also entrepreneurs around the world to invest in various industries, including sports, tourism and media, Madani said.

"Beijing Winter Olympics is a warm-welcomed activity which will create a lot of businesses not only locally, but also globally," he said.

Regarding calls for a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics from some Western politicians, the expert said politicizing sports is against the spirit of the Olympic Games and doomed to fail.

"Beijing Winter Olympics is a sports activity but not a political one," he said, adding that some forces are attempting to sabotage the event by distorting facts and leveling groundless allegations against China.

Madani said that he is confident that the event will go off without a hitch, adding people will move forward and focus on the Olympics, "which is a very healthy activity for our next generation".