Beijing will ensure accessibility in the construction of the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games under the supervision and coordination of the Beijing Organizing Committee and the local governments, according to a working conference of the Winter Games held recently. The agenda will deliver accessibility in the facilities in Beijing and Zhangjiakou, as well as propel a nationwide improvement on facilities to help people with disabilities.
According to the Host City Contract, an agreement between the host city of Olympic Games and the International Olympic Committee, Olympic and Paralympic Games are to provide everyone with an accessible environment, which is the basis of hosting successful Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the symbol of desirable social civilization.
In May this year, the Beijing Organizing Committee asked several research and development institutions to compile the "Barrier-free Guidelines for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics" with the assistance of the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee.
The guidelines are based on those from previous host cities of the Winter Games, and contain specific requirements, illustrations, and parameters that help achieve accessibility design in passage, accommodation, information, training, transit, social service and games.
The organizing committee, together with local governments and disabled persons' federation, also compiled a list of tasks for building barrier-free facilities. It includes a master plan and covers 24 areas of work including venue design, acceptance of construction, games service, venue operation, and so forth. There are 161 entries of tasks, including 67 for the sports venues, 65 for the city, and 29 for both. The plan includes detailed instructions on each task, including its organization in charge, the department that initiates the task, and the completion deadline.
All the sports venues of the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games will be constructed following the guidelines and equipped with barrier-free facilities and smart terminals to meet the demands of athletes with disabilities and others, according to the Beijing Organizing Committee. Also, wheelchair seats and accompanying seats will be installed in the sports venues -- the work will begin next year and be completed in 2019.