'Shadow' program to boost Olympics

To help make up for its shortfall in winter sports know-how ahead of the Beijing 2022 Olympics, China has been borrowing expertise from around the world, sending staff members to experience various aspects of major international events.

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games sent 81 people during the 2016-17 winter season to the host cities of big tournaments, including the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan, and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. They were sent to gain insights into 24 practical aspects, ranging from competition organization to venue operation, the committee said on Friday.

The effort was part of the International Olympic Committee's knowledge-transfer Observer Program, which invites future Olympic organizers to observe firsthand the hosting practices for current and upcoming events.