(ATR) Almaty’s Winter Olympic bid is touting its commitment to anti-doping after hosting a WADA conference.
The 12th Asia/Oceania Region Intergovernmental Ministerial Meeting on Anti-Doping in Sport took place in Almaty on Saturday.
Organized by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the annual meeting is designed to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against doping in sport in all forms at international level.
Around 60 delegates representing 26 countries participated. They presented progress reports, shared experiences and discussed new methods of tackling anti-doping.
The bid said in a statement that the event created "a productive base for cooperation and partnership between the anti-doping organizations of Asia and Oceania."
WADA director general David Howman paid tribute to Kazakhstan, which is vying for the 2022 Winter Games with Beijing.
"Rapid development of sports infrastructure in Kazakhstan allowed the country to become a leader in fight against doping in sport within Central Asia region," he said.
As the head office of the regional anti-doping organization, Almaty is responsible for coordinating anti-doping across eight countries in the region.
He said the meeting was a unique platform "helping to foster the combination and complementing of sports’ and governments’ respective resources and assets, and results in a coordinated and cohesive approach to anti-doping."
Beijng Trumpets 2008 Legacy
The Chinese bid is seeking to emphasize how much Beijing 2022 plans to build on the legacies left by the Summer Olympics in 2008.
In a release, the bid noted the "pool of management experience in hosting massive events" and the concrete symbols of the 2008 Games legacy –venues like the Bird’s Nest, Water Cube, Wukesong MasterCard Center and the China National Convention Center.
"With the rise of winter sports fever in China, hosting the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympics would undoubtedly cement these venues’ futures as the hosts of tomorrow’s biggest global winter sports events," the bid said.
"In line with both the Olympic Agenda 2020 and Beijing 2022’s key concept of sustainability, these venues have found consistent use due to a number of strategic and long-term partnerships," Beijing 2022 added.
Asked by Around the Rings what "consistent use" meant, when some reports have suggested the Beijing Olympic Stadium has become more of a visitor attraction than an event host, the bid said the Bird’s Nest had hosted at least 25 cultural and sports events in 2013/14.
A list of those events sent to ATR reveals that the venue hosted 12 events in 2013 and 13 events last year, which include the FIS Global Freestyle Skiing World Cup and annual ice and snow festival.
Reported by MarkBisson
Homepage photo: Getty Images
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