WARSAW, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- "The Chinese made the right decision to apply radical restrictions and thanks to that I will feel safe during the competition in Beijing," Polish Ski Association (PZN) president Apoloniusz Tajner told Xinhua.
In order to prevent COVID-19 from spreading and to ensure the safety of all participants at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, China has announced rigorous and comprehensive restrictions on people's movements.
"Due to the pandemic there will be different Winter Games than the previous ones. The restrictions are necessary, we fully understand that," Tajner said. "To be honest, thanks to the restrictions, I will feel safer than in other places. That's because all participants will be tested every day, and every case of the infection will be immediately detected."
"I'm sure the organizers made the right decision to set those safety rules. It must be radical. The most important thing is to organize a sport event in a safe way. If someone arrives in China and he is healthy, he can feel safe there. There will be no contact with random people, so the likelihood of infection will be marginal," added the former coach of Poland's national ski jumping team.
Tajner also expressed his belief that all countries should take part in the Olympics.
"If some countries announced a total boycott of the Olympic Games due to political reasons, for sure I would disagree with that decision, as sport should be over other issues. Few countries started a diplomatic boycott but all the athletes will participate in the event, and I think it's the most important matter," the 67-year-old explained.
Poland's ski jumping team carry the country's greatest hopes for medals in Beijing, and Tajner expressed hopes that three-time Olympic champion Kamil Stoch would rediscover his mojo.
"I deeply believe Stoch will return to his best form. When he jumps on his level, he is able to win every competition. Stoch is mentally strong. I emphasize that we are talking about a multiple medalist at the Olympics and the World Cup. He has already won three Olympic golds so the experience will be his advantage," the PZN president concluded. Enditem
