Beijing is currently mulling the decision of whether to include winter sports as part of the curriculum for all physical education classes in the city. If approved, the decision would require every student -- from primary school to high school -- to master at least one winter sport.
Beijing will work to guarantee at least one hour of winter sports practice per week for all students. All districts and counties in Beijing have been promoting winter sports since the beginning of 2016, said Sun Xuecai, Beijing's sports bureau chief, at the World Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo 2016 on Oct. 19.
Three mobile, detachable ice rinks are currently touring schools in the city's Chaoyang district. The ice rinks can be as large as 500 square meters, and students can use them to take classes like skating and ice hockey. Skiing simulations will also be made available to students.
What's more, the district sports bureau plans to give discounts to students doing winter sports within the district, China Youth Daily reported. Other districts, like Fangshan and Mentougou, are inviting famous winter sports athletes to teach students on campus. Starting from 2016, the registration fee for Beijing's inter-school ice hockey league will be waived in order to encourage more participation.
Currently, Beijing has 20 indoor ice rinks and 20 seasonal outdoor ice rinks. By 2020, another 16 indoor rinks and 50 outdoor rinks will be installed. Many more private ice rinks will also be opened to public, according to Sun.
At the 2022 Winter Olympics, Beijing is going to host the ice events, while the city of Zhangjiakou in Hebei province, which is around 200 kilometers northwest of Beijing, will host the alpine events, China National Radio reported.
