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It’s the greatest sporting show on ice.

The 2022 editions of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics take place in Beijing, the Chinese capital - making it the first city to have ever hosted both the Winter and Summer Games.

����ý Bitesize gets you up to speed with everything you need to know about winter sport's most prestigious events.

What are the Winter Olympics and Paralympics?

Basically, if the sport is played on ice or snow, it probably features in the Winter Olympics or Paralympics.

The Games celebrate athletes from around the world who compete in traditional and modern winter sports.

Some events, such as figure skating or ice hockey, actually began life as Summer Olympics events. Figure skating was part of the programme at the 1908 London Games, although the event actually took place several months after the other sports.

The 1920 Olympics in Antwerp saw ice hockey join figure skating – this time with both competitions being held in April, before the main Games.

Following the Belgian Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to introduce a week of winter sports for future host countries, with 1924 hosts France holding a competition in ski resort Chamonix.

This event proved such a success that the following year, a full Winter Olympics was announced with Chamonix’s competition retrospectively known as the first Games.

Beijing’s Olympic Games – in which almost 3,000 athletes from around 90 countries will compete – is the 24th edition.

What sports take place at the Winter Olympics?

There are 15 different sports set to feature at Beijing 2022 which can be split into two groups - those played on ice and those played on snow.

The ice events feature a mixture of indoor and outdoor sports. Ice hockey, figure and speed skating (including the faster short track speed skating) and curling all take place on indoor ice rinks. Sledding events, such as bobsleigh, skeleton and luge see competitors in action on constructed outdoor courses.

The traditional alpine skiing races take place on snow on outdoor slopes - with the likes of the slalom and the downhill also joined by the relatively modern freestyle skiing and snowboarding programmes.

The Nordic events also take place outdoors on snow courses - these include ski jumping, cross-country skiing and the biathlon, where cross-country is combined with rifle shooting. There is another multi-sport event, the Nordic combined, where cross-country skiers must also take on the ski jump.

What’s the difference between the Winter Olympics and Paralympics?

Beijing will host the 13th Winter Paralympics in 2022, with the first edition of the Games taking place in Örnsköldvik, Sweden in 1976. Since 1992, all Winter Paralympics take place in the same location as that year’s Winter Olympics.

The number of sports that takes place in the Paralympics is far fewer than that of the Olympics. There are just six – with alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, para ice hockey, snowboarding and wheelchair curling events set to take place.

However, within each sport, there are multiple different versions of each event, due to the classification system. This sees competitors grouped together with others who have similar impairments, such as those with their limbs or vision. A total of 78 medal events will take place.

How have Great Britain done at the Games?

A lack of consistent snow across much of the country means Team GB and ParalympicsGB are rarely among the favourites for winter competition.

But Team GB head to Beijing on the back of their most successful Winter Olympics ever.

In 2018, the British squad won five medals – the first time they’d ever taken that many – with the team bringing one gold and four bronze medals home.

It was similarly record-breaking for the Paralympic squad in Pyeongyang, South Korea – with an all-time high seven medals claimed.

Hopes for 2022 are similar for Team GB – their target is between three and seven medals in Beijing.

World champion snowboarder Charlotte Bankes, skier Dave Ryding and the men’s, women’s and mixed curling teams are among the British favourites to reach the podium in China.

Why are the Games controversial in 2022?

Some countries are saying they won't send officials or dignitaries to Beijing because of China’s human rights record. This is because China is accused of committing atrocities against the Uyghur Muslim population in the Xinjiang province – something the government in Beijing denies.

The environmental impact of the Games is also sparking controversy. The skiing and snowboarding events are being held in areas that don’t receive enough snow for competition, so vast quantities of artificial snow are being sprayed onto the slopes. Officials say they are using new snow production methods that will require less water and use less energy than previously.

How is Covid-19 having an impact?

All athletes have had to undergo a rigorous testing programme before arriving in Beijing, needing to test negative before departure, upon arrival and on a daily basis. Any athlete who tests positive must produce two negative results before being allowed to compete.

There will be no foreign fans at events, just as with the Summer Games in Tokyo in 2021 - with groups of local spectators invited to events while following Covid protocols.

This article was published in January 2022.