Sports
Beijing Presents a Green Winter Olympic Games
by Chu Maoming, China’s Consul General in Lagos
WASIU IBRAHIM
Sponsored BY: H&H
The XXIV 2022 Olympic Winter Games has kicked off since February 4 in Beijing, bringing together about 2900 athletes from 91 countries and regions.
Despite the so-called diplomatic boycott led by a few western countries, the sporting gala attracted more than 30 international dignitaries from across the world, including heads of state, heads of government, members of royal families and heads of international organizations.
This gathering of leaders during a time of COVID-19 showed the support of the world for the Olympics, as well as their wish for unity. The smiling faces of athletes from across the world at the grand opening ceremony showed that they were ready to enjoy the sports gala.
My colleagues and I were excited to see Nigerian athletes marching and flying the Nigerian national flag at the opening ceremony when we were watching the live broadcasting in Lagos. We wish Nigerian Olympians excellent performances and good results.
As the world’s first dual-Olympic city which hosts both the Summer and Winter Olympics, Beijing committed to presenting the world a green winter Olympics from bidding period and has made a valuable innovation and breakthrough.
As the distinctive feature in the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, the concept of sustainability and green has been embedded in the entire process and every aspect of the work to prepare and deliver the Games.
Through careful planning, Beijing has been able to use its budget in a most efficient and effective way, including the utilization of venues built for the 2008 Summer Olympics. This time, among all the venues in downtown Beijing to be used for competition, only one was newly built.
All of the others are legacies from the 2008 Olympics. After the Games, all the venues will be further used as public facilities of sporting events, entertainment or cultural activities, which will benefit the people from all walks of life.
During the bidding stage, some commentators expressed doubts over pollution, claiming high levels of carbon dioxide could pose a risk to athletes’ health. Those fears have disappeared as the city enjoys clear skies and excellent air quality levels.
As part of the Green Olympics initiative, Beijing has placed top priority on ecological preservation, conserving resources and environmental friendliness. In line with the initiative, venues of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games are applying more green technologies to reduce energy consumption as well as the impact on the environment.
Carbon dioxide refrigerants for ice-making, the least toxic and most eco-friendly natural refrigerants, were introduced in a bid to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The speed skating venues during the past Winter Olympics all used freon refrigerants for ice-making, but the new refrigerants made of natural carbon dioxide can help reduce carbon emissions to nearly zero.
The new technology can help improve refrigeration efficiency by 20 percent and save electricity use by 2 million kWh a year for the National Speed Skating Oval.
In Yanqing in the outskirts of Beijing, one of the three competition zones for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, a series of environmental protection measures have been implemented in the construction of new venues.
Forestry experts first conducted a study to seek the best ecological restoration and venue construction practices to reduce damage to the environment.
They even relocated some indigenous flora and built safe passages for small animals. When building roads at the National Alpine Skiing Center in Yanqing, workers relocated fragile alpine meadows before construction started and moved them back months later after the construction was finished.
Renewable energy is used to power all competition venues, making the Beijing Winter Olympic Games the first one in history to power all its venues with green electricity. It has been made possible by a flexible DC power grid bringing the capital city electricity generated from the rich wind and solar resources in Zhangjiakou, the co-host city for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games.
The power grid is expected to send 22.5 billion kWh of electricity to Beijing each year in the future, or around one-tenth of the city’s total power consumption. It will help save 7.8 million tonnes of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2,040 tonnes each year.
Apart from the venues, Beijing has moved to build a green transport system to help better connect the three competition zones of downtown Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou.
The Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway line has helped cut the travel time between downtown Beijing and Zhangjiakou from three hours to one hour, and that between downtown Beijing and Yanqing from two hours to 26 minutes. Meanwhile, all the venues for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games in downtown Beijing will be linked by metro lines. Beijing is also building new-energy vehicle charging facilities at the venues and along the roads between Beijing and Zhangjiakou.
In the broader green push, Beijing has upgraded industries, closed polluting enterprises and switched to cleaner energy to reduce energy consumption and pollutant emissions.
As an indicator of the green drive, Beijing last year reported the lowest average concentration of PM2.5 since records began in 2013, with the reading at 38 micrograms per cubic meter in 2020, a year-on-year decline of 9.5 percent.
The Beijing Winter Olympic Games are of special significance to China’s sports and the development of international Olympic Movement. President Xi Jinping set out a vision of engaging 300 million Chinese people in winter sports – a goal that China has already reached.
Mr. Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee called China “a new winter sport country”, saying that “the 300 million people who have now been made familiar with winter sport will in the end be the great legacy of the Olympic Winter Games”.
The Beijing Winter Olympic Games are the first comprehensive global sporting event as scheduled since the onset of the pandemic, and the Games have brought hope and confidence to the world amid COVID-19.
I believe the Beijing Winter Olympic Games will go down in history as a milestone for the development of the Olympic Movement and humanity overcoming crisis through solidarity.
Sports
LAGOS STATE SPORTS COMMISSION, PRACTAGALI PARTNERS UNVEIL PLANS FOR INAUGURAL BOLA AHMED TINUBU SOUTHWEST ALLIANCE GAMES
LAGOS STATE SPORTS COMMISSION, PRACTAGALI PARTNERS UNVEIL PLANS FOR INAUGURAL BOLA AHMED TINUBU SOUTHWEST ALLIANCE GAMES
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
The Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) and Practagali Partners, organisers of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu South West Alliance Games (BAT SWAG), have announced that the inaugural edition of the games will be hosted in Lagos.
BATSWAG, a unifying sports initiative led by Practagali Partners, is designed to discover emerging under-18 athletes from across the Southwest region., encourage mass participation in sports, and provide opportunities for talented athletes to showcase their skills and build a career in sports.
Scheduled for March 2025, the highly anticipated competition will bring together promising young talents from Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Ekiti, to compete in various sporting disciplines, including Athletics (Track & Field), Basketball, Boxing, Football, Table Tennis, traditional African games Ayo-Olopon and Abula. BATSWAG aims to promote youth development, stimulate sports participation, and encourage inclusivity through adaptive sports.
The event will showcase the immense sporting potential within the Southwestern region while creating opportunities for budding athletes to shine on a regional stage.
Speaking on the upcoming tournament, the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Lekan Fatodu, expressed enthusiasm about Lagos being identified as the state where the event will be hosted: “Hosting the inaugural edition of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Southwest Alliance Games in Lagos is an honour, and it speaks volumes about the support and commitment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to sports over the years, which has laid the foundation and created many opportunities and resources for Lagos to be the ideal location for any great sporting events.
The future of sports in the South-West region is bright, and the BAT SWAG Games will undoubtedly serve as a springboard for young athletes aiming for national and international success.”
Ms. Funmilola Adedipe, Managing Director of Practagali Partners, highlighted the broader impact of the event, noting that it aims to promote positive engagement among youth and rescue them from the grip of social vices prevalent in society.
According to her, “the BAT SWAG Games will not only nurture talent but also serve as a vital tool for social reformation, using sports as a vehicle for development, empowerment, and hope.”
Adedipe also highlighted the significance of Practagali Partners’ collaboration with the Lagos State Government, noting that the partnership will create sustainable opportunities for youth and further the cause of grassroots sports development across the region. “This partnership with Lagos as the host state will bolster efforts to engage youth meaningfully, and we look forward to discovering new talents that can potentially represent Nigeria on the global stage,” Adedipe added.
The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Southwest Alliance Games is expected to be a remarkable event, showcasing the wealth of talent within the region. The competition will draw in large crowds, enhance community spirit, and create a legacy of sports participation that will impact future generations. By being chosen as the host state, Lagos further solidifies its reputation as a hub for sports development and excellence.
Sports
DABIRI-EREWA DESCRIBES SAMSON DAUDA’S VICTORY AS TRIUMPH OF DEDICATION
DABIRI-EREWA DESCRIBES SAMSON DAUDA’S VICTORY AS TRIUMPH OF DEDICATION
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
Hon. (Dr) Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has congratulated Nigerian-British bodybuilder Samson Dauda for winning the 2024 Mr Olympia bodybuilding title, securing more than $600,000—the largest prize in the sport’s history.
Dauda emerged victorious at the finale held at Resorts World Theatre, Las Vegas, beating top competitors Hadi Choopan, who placed second, and Derek Lunsford, the 2023 champion, who finished third.
Dabiri-Erewa in a message through the Commission ‘s Head of Media and Public Relations, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, praised Dauda’s extraordinary journey, from his early years in Lagos to his rise in professional bodybuilding, noting that his win is a moment of pride for Nigerians globally.
“This achievement showcases the excellence Nigerians in the diaspora continue to display across various sectors. Samson Dauda has proven that with focus and perseverance, success is inevitable,” she said.
Born in Lagos, Dauda moved to the United Kingdom as a teenager, where he transitioned from rugby to bodybuilding.
His professional journey took off after winning the IFBB Amateur Diamond Cup in Rome in 2017. Dauda has since demonstrated consistent growth, culminating in his Mr Olympia title.
NiDCOM continues to celebrate and support the achievements of Nigerians abroad, reaffirming its commitment to promoting their talents and contributions to global development.
Sports
AFCON 2025 QUALIFIERS: Treatment of Super Eagles players in Libya despicable- DABIRI-EREWA
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has condemned the treatment meted out to the Super Eagles team by Libya authorities ahead of its second leg match slated for Tuesday in the country.
She noted that travelling by road in Libya is most dangerous and totally not advisable because of the current situation in the country.
The team which left Nigeria on Sunday to Libya for its return match had their flight diverted to an innocuous airport far away from the venue of the match.
The implication of the diversion will now be another three hours of road travel to the main venue of the match, not minding the risk of road travel in Libya , considering the situation of the war-torn country.
Dabiri-Erewa said the safety of Nigerian players is paramount to the country, and was optimistic that the Ministry of Sports and the NFF will advice appropriately.
She also called on CAF to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves.
Already, the players, the pilots and others on board the flight had been stranded and subjected to inhuman treatment at the airport for over 13 hours without water, food, rest and other means of communication.
“The team were delayed at an airport in Libya for more than 13 hours without any tangible reason” The Super Eagles flight was redirected air borne on Sunday and they were required to travel by road to their destination.
However, there was no provision made for them by the Libya authorities and all efforts to make alternative provisions by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was frustrated.
Dabiri-Erewa appealed to the Super Eagles to remain calm why the Nigerian Football Federation will decide the next line of action.
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