By Professor Dr. Varin Tansuphasiri
In 2002, Thailand took part in the Winter Olympics for the first time. The Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to kick off this February will mark the 20th anniversary of Thailand’s first participation in the Games.
As a tropical country, Thailand is not endowed with the natural conditions required for most of the ice and snow sports, yet our winter sports have developed really fast. Thai athletes mainly compete in such events of the Winter Olympic Games as ice hockey, speed skating, and skiing. Thailand will send four athletes to the Beijing Winter Olympics. They will compete for medals in cross-country skiing and alpine skiing.
Quite a few people have asked, “Why do you keep sending athletes to the Winter Olympics when there is no chance of winning?” Well, if everyone thought that way, only a handful of countries would send athletes to the Winter Olympic Games.
I still remember the first time Thai athletes competed in the Winter Olympics. The results were not very good, which made them feel depressed. But their counterparts from other countries said to them, “Why do you care so much about the results? Take a look at the national flags fluttering there. You should be satisfied just with the fact that you are here with the national flag of Thailand at the Olympics.” The comforting words from foreign friends brought smile to the faces of the first Thai athletes who participated in the Winter Olympic Games.
The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but the opportunity to take part and the friendship and peace of mankind. Athletes participating in the Olympics should not only be proud of competition results but more of the opportunity they are given to compete, to show their skills, to demonstrate solidarity, and to watch the national flags of their own countries fly alongside with those of other countries.
Just like what the motto “Together for a Shared Future” of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games tells us, we should all unite under the Olympic flag, jointly overcome the tough times, ignite the flame of hope for humanity, and march toward the future together.
Thailand has attached great importance to the Olympics all along because it is a great stage and joining it means Thailand steps onto the world stage.
Thai athletes are scheduled to begin their trip to Beijing at the end of January after finishing their training in Italy. Although the competition is stiff and winning is not an easy thing, they will surely try their best and make progress.
In 2008, Beijing hosted the Summer Olympics, for which it has won worldwide praise. The huge success of the Beijing Summer Olympic Games was derived from the strong economic and sports strength of China. By hosting the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, Beijing will be the first city in the world to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
China has gained rich experience from its successful Summer Olympics. And in order to deliver an excellent Winter Olympic Games, it has done a lot of preparatory work. The international community has seen China’s capability, confidence, and determination to host the Winter Olympics, and believes that the Beijing 2022 will be spectacular.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic is still raging across the globe, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and China have both paid high attention to the health and safety of athletes and all the Olympics-related personnel.
The IOC, the International Paralympic Committee and the Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have jointly formulated epidemic prevention guidelines regarding the participation in the Games.
China was among the first countries in the world to get the virus under control and realize economic recovery from the pandemic, which indicates that the measures it has adopted to cope with the pandemic are very effective.
The Olympic Games are a grand sporting event. Thailand firmly supports and is looking forward to the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. We believe the Beijing 2022 will be a successful sporting event.
