OlymPicks: NHL Goes All In and the Olympic Committee Wants Your Art
OlymPicks, we highlight news, gossip, and developments regarding the buildup to Beijing's 2022 Winter Olympics.
NHL to participate in next two winter games
Players of the National Hockey League (NHL) will return to play in the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics, according to NBC Sports.
Players expressed their interest in participating in the Olympics as part of a larger bargaining agreement between the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) and the NHL, and received approval from those two bodies, along with the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation.
Because the dates of the Olympics overlap with the regular NHL season, NHL owners were hesitant to see their season suspended and some of their top stars go all out for their countries, potentially risking injury along the way. As such, NHL players did not take part in the 2018 Olympics, after appearing in the previous five winter games. However, the organization has now capitulated to the players who have made it clear that they want the opportunity to represent their respective countries.
The news is a big deal for hockey fans and the means by which most of the world's top ice hockey players find their way to the NHL. Now that it's approved, several hockey blogs are already speculating about which of their favorites will make the cut for their countries.
No international sports in China this year
The China General Administration of Sport announced last week that the only international sports to be held in China this year will be warm-ups for the 2022 Games. These are not Olympic trials as much as events to test Olympic facilities. No international referees or judges will be invited to participate in these events, the Sports Administration said in its announcement, and that it is shifting its focus to test events at the end of 2020 and into 2021.
The announcement has already led to some confusion in the world of international sports, prompting the Badminton World Federation to request clarification, given that their World Tours Final was scheduled to take place in Guangzhou this December.
All Olympic Venues to Be Completed by Year's End
Covid-19 hasn't slowed down the construction of Beijing's new Olympic venues. All construction will be finished by the end of the year, allowing for the testing of various new technologies such as 5G, to be used during the Games. And for some finishing touches...
Winter Olympics Seeks Public Art
The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) is asking artists around the world to submit their proposals for public art – primarily sculptures – to be displayed at Olympic venues during the Beijing Games, according to China.org. Submissions are due Oct 15 via the official website for the Games, beijing2022.cn.
READ: OlymPicks: NHL Ice Hockey Stars May Return for 2022 Beijing
Photo: NHL.com
