'50-50' chance for Beijing's 2022 bid, says Wei Jizhong

With Beijing widely seen as an odds-on favorite for the 2022 Winter Olympics Games though, a former top Chinese sports official played down the hype on Wednesday.

"I think it's 50-50 against Kazakhstan's Almaty," said Wei Jizhong, a former Chinese Olympic Committee vice president who had also been the world volleyball chief for four years.

"Both cities have the capability to host the Games. And the question is, which city is more suitable for the 2022 Winter Games."

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) evaluation commission will visit Beijing from March 24 to 28 before a final decision is scheduled to be made at the IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur on July 31.

"When the evaluation team comes, the most important thing (for us) is not to make mistakes," said Wei, now a top adviser to Beijing's bid.

The IOC had completed its five-day inspection tour to Almaty on Feb. 18 as Russian IOC member Alexander Zhukov concluded that "Almaty is capable of holding successful Games in 2022."

China's Lu Shengrong, former world badminton chief and IOC member for 1996-2001, was confident of Beijing's race for its second Olympics.

"I am optimistic," Lu said on Wednesday. "Beijing has an advantage, or experience, that any other cities don't."

Lu stressed the "smoothest communication and cooperation between the host city and the IOC in the Olympic history" during Beijing's preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

IOC member Yang Yang, who is China's first ever winter Olympic gold winner, said on Wednesday that the bid committee was busy preparing to host IOC inspectors.

"Our bid is in line with the IOC's 2020 Agenda," said Yang Yang, who declined to predict Beijing's chance.

Former NBA player Yao Ming, a promotion ambassador of the 2022 bid, said Beijing's infrastructure and experience as a 2008 host made it "a prime candidate".

Shen Xue, a former Olympic champion and one of six bid ambassadors, said on Wednesday: "I believe Beijing will do its best to win the hosting right. I am eagerly waiting for Beijing to be the first city in history to host both the summer and winter Olympics."

Beijing handed over its official bid to IOC last month, promising to deliver an "athletes-centered, sustainable and economical" Olympics.

IOC president Thomas Bach had said that Beijing's vision complied with IOC's reforms.

In the report, Beijing stressed athletes will be put at the center of the Games.

"Athletes' convenience will be a primary criteria. Our service will be comprehensive and of high-level in training, competition, accommodation, transportation, catering, medical care and cultural communication," said Beijing mayor and bid president Wang Anshun.

Wang said Beijing will make a meticulous budget plan to lower cost on the condition that the Games can be staged successfully.

"Beijing will lower the cost of staging the Games through thorough marketing, proper arrangement of venues and activities on the condition that the Games can be delivered successfully," he said.

According to the report, stadiums from the Beijing 2008 Olympics, including the Water Cube swimming center and the national indoor stadium, can serve as 2022 venues.

If Beijing wins the bid, some of the 2022 venues will be set up in Zhangjiakou, a Hebei province city some 200 kilometers northwest of Beijing. Beijing is going to host ice sports with snow events to be held in Zhangjiakou.