2022 Games will be a milestone, says head of Portuguese winter sports

The president of Federation of Winter Sports of Portugal said he holds a very optimistic view about the arrangements of the upcoming Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

"We have a long friendship with China, and these Games will be a milestone. It will be the biggest Winter Olympics of all time because we trust China's organizational capacity, logistics, infrastructure, and quality of facilities," Pedro Farromba, president of FDIP and member of the Portuguese Olympic Committee said in a joint interview with Chinese media.

Farromba added that with Beijing 2022 being "one of the most incredible sport activities around the world and a place where every athlete wants to be," the Portuguese team wants to leverage this opportunity to help develop winter sports in the country.

"We will do our best, even without waiting for medals, but we will fight and represent our country with dignity, developing winter sports in Portugal," said the head of FDIP.

Farromba added that he believed the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing will be "very safe" despite fears of COVID-19.

Currently, one of the country's athletes is trying his best to win a qualification spot for Beijing Paralympic Games in snowboard, Farromba said, adding that "if that happens, it will be the first time in history that Portugal will be in the Paralympic Games."

The country expects to have its largest delegation ever at the Beijing 2022, Farromba said during the interview.

He also said that it would probably be the first time of everyone in the Portuguese team to be in China in the approaching Games.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will be held between Feb 4 and 20, with three competition zones in Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou.

Xinhua contributed to the story.