Wukesong Arena can hold hockey events, officials say

Wukesong Arena - host of the 2008 Summer Olympics basketball tournament as well as numerous grassroots basketball events - can easily be transformed into a modern hockey stadium for the 2022 Winter Olympics, the venue operator's general manager said.

Jerry Han, general manager of Bloomage International Wukesong Arena Management Co, said replacing hardwood floors with an ice surface will take only four hours.

"Even before the 2008 Olympics, we had considered hosting skating events as one of the venue's post-Games functions, so an ice-making system was part of the design, and now it will fit in perfectly with Beijing's plan to host the 2022 Winter Games," Han said.