Winter Games bid committee receives certification for venues

A top Chinese sports official said the committee running Beijing's bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games has received venue certifications from the seven relevant winter sports federations - including the International Biathlon Union, the International Ski Federation, the International Skating Union, and the International Ice Hockey Federation.

"We had received all the venue certifications from the seven International Federations by early December, which is a requirement in order to bid for the Winter Games," Ren Hongguo, head of China's Winter Sports Administration Center, said on Monday.

Beijing and Zhangjia-kou, Hubei province, have submitted a joint bid for the Games. Delegates from the federations had completed fact-finding visits by the end of November, visiting Beijing and suburban Yanqing county, and Zhangjiakou to inspect the sites where the Olympic and Paralympic competitions will be held if Beijing's bid is successful.