COVID-19 remains the main concern of the Olympic movement as the month to go milestone arrives for Beijing 2022

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach reiterated his confidence in his organization’s ability to safely and successfully stage the 2022 Winter Olympics during his New Year’s message, stating, “we are looking forward to [a] successful Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and we have great confidence, built on our experience, that we will stage safe and secure Olympic Winter Games for everybody.”

Bach’s message came a few days prior to the one month to go milestone until Beijing 2022. As the milestone brings the 2022 Winter Olympics into greater focus, it is clear the concerns over the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to persist amongst the Olympic movement.

In an interview with the CBC, David Shoemaker, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), admitted to harboring worries over the safety of Canadian athletes. He stated, “the real challenge for us over the next 30 days is how do we make sure that Canadian participants can get to Beijing without contracting the virus and therefore become able to test negative to get into that scenario.”

He added, “we’re confident we can bring a team to Beijing safely and we think it’s important that we do that. Provided it’s safe. Provided our chief medical officer green lights it, we are going to do everything we can to bring Team Canada to Beijing.”

In recent days, the effects of the pandemic on international sport have become more notable after the cancellation and postponement of multiple major international events, and a string of high profile athletes testing positive for the virus.

Organizers of both the 2021 Winter Universiade and the 2022 Military World Winter Games, were forced to cancel the prominent winter multi-sports games after the emergence of the Omicron variant. The 2022 GCC Games were also postponed as a result of the continuing effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Gulf States.

National Olympic trials have been affected as well. The Canadian mixed doubles curling trials were outright cancelled over fears stemming from the spread of COVID-19, while the Dutch speed skating trials were held behind closed doors, with U.S. Speedskating deciding to do the same for their own upcoming trials.

Announcing the decision to stage the U.S. speed skating trials without spectators, U.S. Speedskating Executive Director Ted Morris said, “It’s vital that we continue to keep a strong focus on the health and welfare of our athletes. Our ability to create a competition bubble provides us with the best situation to protect our athletes while providing them with the opportunity to qualify for the Beijing team at the Olympic Trials.”

The effect of the pandemic has been felt across other winter sports as well, with alpine skiers Mikaela Shiffirn, Lara Gut-Behrami, and Alice Robinson all becoming sidelined from World Cup action due to positive tests. The Canadian bobsleigh team was also recently slammed by the virus, with 14 team members testing positive.

Other athletes like Ghana’s Akwasi Frimpomg, can’t participate in qualification events for Beijing 2022. Speaking with the BBC Sport Africa, Frimpomg admitted, “it’s painful not being able to fulfil my dreams, with all the time, energy, money and things I’ve sacrificed.”

He added, “I have always been a positive person but this is out of my control. This was my last shot.” His positive test came within the final weeks of bobsled qualification races for Beijing 2022, derailing any remaining opportunity he had at taking part in the Games.

For many athletes, Frimpomg’s ordeal remains a nightmare they wish to avoid. Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris told the CBC his strategy was “just really trying to stay out of harm’s way for just a month. You know, just get there at least.” He added, “I haven’t been so freaked out of getting it until now.”

It is clear that COVID-19 will continue to weigh heavily on the Olympic movement as the 2022 Winter Olympics approach. As the Games get closer, the potential repercussions of a positive test grow exponentially. Those who test positive could be forced to miss the Games entirely, spend weeks in quarantine, or even face threats to their own personal health as a result of contracting the virus.

While concerns over the spread of COVID-19 remain prevalent, Polish Ski Association (PZN) President Apoloniusz Tajner spoke with Xinhua about his confidence in the measures taken by organizers to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Tajner stated, “due to the pandemic there will be [a] different Winter Games than the previous ones. The restrictions are necessary, we fully understand that.”

“To be honest, thanks to the restrictions, I will feel safer than in other places. That’s because all participants will be tested every day, and every case of the infection will be immediately detected.”

“I’m sure the organizers made the right decision to set those safety rules. It must be radical. The most important thing is to organize a sport event in a safe way. If someone arrives in China and he is healthy, he can feel safe there. There will be no contact with random people, so the likelihood of infection will be marginal.”

As alluded to by many in the Olympic movement, the greater concern and challenge on the minds of those attending the 2022 Winter Olympics is the journey to the Games. As the one month to go milestone passes, that journey is becoming an ever closer challenge for Olympic attendees.