Testing times at 2022 headquarters

Eyes fixed on giant screens, staff at the Shougang headquarters of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (BOCOG) are deep in concentration as they process and interpret the fast-arriving information.

With snow and sliding sports tested in February, the Games' main operation center is now focusing its attention on a 10-day ice sports test program with a series of events dubbed 'Experience Beijing'.

Staff are working across a wide variety of areas such as venue communication, catering, medical care and epidemic prevention, security, and transportation.

Images of the venues and surrounding areas, and video conferences between venue operation headquarters and local organizing committees are transmitted live. Work tasks of the main operation center and venues, as well as information analysis of events at venues are also presented on the screens.

Yan Cheng, director of BOCOG's human resources department, said the headquarters for the ice sports test program have set up a scientific and coordinated command system according to Games-time requirements.

Yan revealed that compared with the snow and sliding sports test programs, specific content such as media operations and broadcasts have been added this time. The organizing committee is working on formulating anti-virus protocols for the Games.

He added that the operation teams of ice sports venues have achieved favorable results over the past few months. The ongoing test run is centering around three key objectives for operation teams.

"First, we need to learn about rules of venue operation and showcase our collective capabilities according to Games-time requirements," said Yan.

"Second, we must perfect our problem-solving for all the venues. Problems could be handed over to the headquarters if they exceed venue resource deployment and emergency disposal.

"Third, we hope to examine the operation teams and strengthen their cooperation, communication and coordination. Organizers will make personnel adjustments according to follow-up evaluation, and Games-time operation teams will be formed step by step.

"The test run for ice sports is of great significance to the organizing committee, local safeguarding and organizational staff. Opportunity knocks but once. We hope to optimize the effect of this test program and meet all requirements on the basis of those in Games time."

The 2022 test program for ice sports is being staged at five venues in the Beijing competition zone until April 10, involving five Winter Olympic and two Winter Paralympic disciplines.

Xinhua