The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is already here, know about the Indian players, team and contingent along with the matches schedule
A total of 109 medal events will take place across 15 different disciplines and seven sports will be held, spread all across China, with 91 nations taking part in the event, which include India as well.
India Announce Diplomatic Boycott Of Winter Olympics 2022
Although India along with many other countries have announced a diplomatic boycott of the mega sporting event
India has announced a few days back that any diplomat from Delhi won’t be attending the opening and closing ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics after Beijing’s decision on having Qi Fabao, a PLA regiment commander who sustained a head injury while fighting in the Galwan Valley border clash with India, as torchbearer during the ‘Torch Relay’.
"I applaud India for joining diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics. We stand with all countries that reject the CCP’s heinous human rights abuses & cold-blooded effort to turn Olympics 2022 into a political victory lap," says Chairman, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. pic.twitter.com/LoLcl2FyLC
— ANI (@ANI) February 4, 2022
The spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affair mentioned, “Yes, we have seen the reports on this issue. It is indeed regrettable that the Chinese side has chosen to politicize an event like the Olympics.”
However, the Indian contingent will be taking part in the global sporting event that is starting from today, the 4th of February in Beijing.
Winter Olympics 2022 Indian Players, Team And Contingent
Indian contingent consists of only one athlete, Arif Khan, the alpine skier from Jammu and Kashmir.
Arif Khan from Jammu and Kashmir has become the first and the only Indian athlete to win direct quota spots in two different Winter Olympics events. He will be competing in the Men’s slalom and Men’s giant slalom.
However, this is not the first time that India is participating in the Winter Olympics. India’s Winter Olympics participation goes back to 1940 when Jeremy Bujakowski became the first Indian to take part in the Winter Olympics. He etched his name in the records by becoming the only Indian at that edition as he competed in the men’s downhill alpine skiing event. Though Bujakowski was born to Polish parents in Lithuania but shifted to India, finished his education, and settled there.
But after the era of Jeremy Bujakowski, skipped didn’t participate in the Winter Olympics for the next 20 years.
India then again made a comeback to the Winter Olympics at the Calgary 1988 Games in Canada. But India barred the 1992 Games, But Indians took part in all Winter Games since then.
Back in Calgary1988, India sent a contingent of three – Gul Dev and Kishor Rahtna Rai who competed in the men’s slalom event and Shailaja Kumar became the first Indian woman to compete at the Winter Olympics. Shailaja Kumar finished on the 28th rank in women’s slalom which is considered as the best result by any Indian Winter Olympian at the time.
But again India had to wait for 18 years to see another woman participating in the mega event and that was Neha Ahuja, who was featured in women’s slalom and giant slalom at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Italy. She became the first Indian woman to qualify for the Winter Olympics by meeting minimum qualifying standards. Shailaja Kumar’s slot was an invitational one. Still, date, Shailaja Kumar and Neha Ahuja are the only two women Winter Olympians from India.
Although all the Indian Winter Olympians competed in ski-based sports, the only athlete to bring a change was Shiva Keshavan introduced who introduced luge, a completely different sport for the country’s winter sports fans. Shiva qualified for his first Winter Games at the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan at the young age of just 16 back then, as he went on to become the youngest luger to qualify for the Winter Olympics at the time. Shiva Keshavan competed in 6 Winter Olympics being the most-decorated Winter Olympian in Indian history.
Finally, then again in 2022, the Alpine Skier Arif Khan qualified for the Winter Olympics.
Winter Olympics 2022 India Schedule And Matches
- Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony – February 4
- Alpine Skiing – February 6-19
- Bobsleigh – February 13-20
- Biathlon – February 5-19
- Cross-Country Skiing – February 5-20
- Curling – February 2-20
- Freestyle Skiing – February 3-19
- Figure Skating – February 4-20
- Ice Hockey – February 3-20
- Luge – February 5-10
- Nordic Combined – February 9-17
- Snowboarding – February 5-15
- Ski Jumping – February 5-14
- Skeleton – February 10-12
- Speed Skating – February 5-19
- Short Track Speed Skating – February 5-16
- Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony – February 20
When And Where To Watch Winter Olympics 2022 Beijing: Channel, Live Stream And Telecast
While the games were initially set to be shown on DD Sports in India along with the Prasar Bharti YouTube channel, they won’t be anymore owing to the country’s boycott after China tried to peddle his propaganda.
Also Read– Pro Kabaddi League All Seasons Winners List, PKL Prize Money Breakdown, Most Raid And Tackle Points