HARBIN, February 12th (AMSP/CGTN) – – International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) President Johan Eliasch has praised the rapid growth of China’s winter sports market.
In an interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Eliasch, who attended the opening of the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China, highlighted the immense potential of the country’s ice and snow sports industry.
“Now, China is the future for winter sport. The potential here is as big as the entire world as it is today,” the official said.
Eliasch shared his expectations for the Asian Winter Games, which runs from February 7 to 14, and emphasized the importance of green and sustainable development.
He highlighted that all ice and snow sports venues and facilities for this year’s Games were upgraded from existing structures, with green energy used for heating. Notably, this marks the first time in the event’s history that 100 percent green electricity will be guaranteed throughout the Games, covering both venue renovations and operational needs.
“We only got one planet. And we have to make sure that we hand over the planet we got in a good way to the next generation. And it’s also part of the Olympic values. So this is very important,” he said.
In 2021, the FIS established its first overseas office in China, and cooperation between the two sides has steadily progressed in areas such as hosting international events and optimizing infrastructure. As president, Eliasch has witnessed the rapid growth of China’s winter sports industry and remains highly confident in the market’s future.
“Before, you didn’t have many resorts. Now, you have critical mass. It’s also become more popular because of the Beijing Olympics. So, all this brought together equal opportunities, particularly for China as a country, to become very strong in winter sports. You have phenomenal athletes in aerials, for instance, many of the freestyle events. And here, I think China has great potential to be one of the top nations,” he explained.
Official data shows that approximately 313 million people in China have participated in ice and snow sports or related leisure activities since the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
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CGTN