Thomas Bach Says Controversial Beijing Olympics "Will Change Winter Sports"
The Beijing Olympics will "change the scale of winter sports forever", IOC president Thomas Bach said Thursday, on the eve of a Games beset by concerns about human rights and Covid. China's ruling Communist Party hopes the Olympics will be a soft-power success but they have been overshadowed by diplomatic boycotts, fears for tennis player Peng Shuai's safety, warnings about surveillance and the environmental impact. The Games, which launch with an opening ceremony on Friday at Beijing's "Bird's Nest" stadium and last until February 20, are taking place in one of the driest regions of China and rely almost entirely on man-made snow.
