China is ready for the arrival of the world's winter Paralympic athletes

On the occasion of the 100-day countdown to the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games, Zhang Haidi, president of the China Disabled Persons' Federation and executive chairman of the Beijing Winter Olympic Organizing Committee, said in an interview that the preparations for the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games are progressing smoothly and are ready to welcome the arrival of the world's winter Paralympic athletes. "We are confident of hosting a 'simple, safe and wonderful' Winter Paralympic Event, and look forward to the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games to achieve 'wonderful competitions and brilliant participation'."

China's winter paralympic sport started late, and hosting the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games has created a favorable opportunity for the development of the winter Paralympic sport. Zhang Haidi said that since the preparation of the Winter Paralympic Games, the Chinese Winter Paralympic Games have developed rapidly. "Before the bid for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, we only carried out two major events of the Winter Paralympic Games, cross-country skiing and wheelchair curling. The number of winter paralympic athletes in the country has grown from less than 50 to thousands now, and the winter paralympic program has been expanded to 6 major events. ”

She said that since 2016, China's winter Paralympic athletes have participated in more than 50 winter Paralympic international events, and have made many breakthroughs in achievements, especially in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Paralympic Games, the Chinese wheelchair curling team won the championship, achieving a breakthrough of "zero" gold medals and medals in the Winter Paralympic Games. At the 2021 Wheelchair Curling World Championships in Beijing, which just ended in October, the wheelchair curling team won the championship again.

Zhang Haidi said that at the beginning of the preparations, the Beijing Winter Olympic Organizing Committee established a strategic plan for the Winter Paralympic Games, established a working mechanism for the synchronous planning and implementation of the Winter Paralympic Games and the Winter Olympic Games, and simultaneously organized two events in all departments and posts, and undertook the preparations for the Winter Paralympic Games on the same standard to ensure that "the two Olympic Games are equally wonderful."

"In the process of preparation, we paid special attention to the special needs of the disabled, strengthened the construction of barrier-free environment, and created a good atmosphere of caring for the disabled and supporting the Winter Paralympic Games in the whole society." Zhang Haidi said that in the past few years, the preparations for the Winter Olympics and the Winter Paralympic Games have achieved synchronization of operation and design, facility construction, service guarantee, cultural promotion, market development, and publicity and education, so as to realize that the Winter Paralympic Games and the Winter Olympic Games are equally wonderful.

A barrier-free environment is a prerequisite for people with disabilities to achieve safe, smooth and convenient passage, and is the top priority in the preparation of the Paralympic Games. Zhang Haidi said that the Beijing Winter Olympic Organizing Committee attaches great importance to the construction of barrier-free environment, and has formulated the "Accessibility Guidelines for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games". All competition and non-competition venues place the experience of the disabled customer base in an important position, and strengthen the construction of barrier-free environment in accordance with the requirements of accessibility guidelines. "Registration, catering, franchising and other service areas set up low-level service desks, low-level dining tables, low-level windows, etc. In terms of information services, relevant websites and mobile phone software have been upgraded to barrier-free versions, printed Braille and large-character publications, provided sign language interpreters at press conferences, and provided highly recognizable guidance signs. The transfer service provides accessible vehicles. Security services provide barrier-free security clearance. In terms of medical services, orthoses, prosthetics and wheelchair repair centers are set up in the venues, and special medicines and sanitary instruments are prepared for the disabled. ”

Taking the preparation of the Winter Paralympic Games as an opportunity, the barrier-free environment in Beijing, Zhangjiakou and other host cities has been optimized and upgraded. Since the launch of the barrier-free environment special improvement action in Beijing in November 2019, a total of 289,000 rectification points have been rectified. Zhangjiakou City has carried out barrier-free construction and transformation around public services, culture, education, sports, medical and health, transportation, parks, squares, urban public toilets and other fields, and achieved remarkable results.

"We are implementing our priorities in accordance with the requirements of clear direction, clear goals and rapid action." Zhang Haidi said that at present, the preparations for the Winter Paralympic Games have entered the countdown of 100 days, and the work is progressing smoothly. The winter paralympic competition venues have the conditions to host the games, the winter Paralympic villages have been put into use; the barrier-free construction of the venue facilities meets the normative standards; the preparations for the operation of the venues are solidly promoted; the winter Paralympic test matches are successfully held; in particular, specific policies and measures have been introduced for epidemic prevention and control, and the work of competition organization, event services, urban security, cultural activities, opening and closing ceremonies, volunteer organizations, and safety and security has been carried out in an orderly manner as planned.

Author: Ji Fang, a reporter of this newspaper

Source: People's Daily