BY: Michelle Liew

The Malaysian Olympic Council (MOC) is confident that Beijing will be able to host a successful and safe Winter Olympics on February 4 to 20, despite concerns over the increase in cases of the COVID-19 variant of the Omicron.

Malaysia will be represented by two alpine snowboarders – Jeffrey Webb, 23, in the men’s slalom category and Aruwin Idami Salehhuddin, 17, in the women’s slalom and giant slalom categories – at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

The squad will be led by Assistant Secretary General Moira Tan Siew See.

OCM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said the organizers had set strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) and introduced a sports bubble known as a ‘closed loop’ to curb the spread of the pandemic.

“I’m very confident Beijing will be a great and brilliant host. It’s going to be a very successful Winter Games. With playbooks, safety protocols, sports bubbles and (the fact that) they have fewer cases than the rest of the world, I think it’s the safest place.

“I am also confident that Beijing is a place where all athletes want to go and achieve their dreams,” he said after handing over the Jalur Gemilang to the country’s Chief of Contingent for the Games, Moira Tan here, yesterday.

Malaysia made its first appearance at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea through the participation of Julian Yee, 24, who finished 25th in the men’s figure skating event, and Jeffrey in 68th place in the men’s giant slalom event.