Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 7th. Subject: Smooth lines and considerate service
——Chinese and foreigners frequently praise the barrier-free environment of the Winter Paralympics
Xinhua News Agency reporter
The barrier-free environment directly affects the daily life and travel of Paralympic athletes. A smooth barrier-free flow will bring a more comfortable experience to athletes and other disabled people. Since the opening of the Beijing Winter Paralympics, the barrier-free environment in the three competition areas of Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou has been frequently praised by participating athletes, officials and barrier-free experts from various delegations from China and abroad, saying that this is a new setting for the hosts of the Winter Paralympics. Benchmark.
As one of the important places for daily life, the barrier-free facilities in the Winter Paralympic Village always “take care” of the daily lives of athletes and participants. Yang Jinkui, director of the Paralympic Department of the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, said that in order to meet the needs of the visually impaired, the Winter Paralympic Village has Braille menus in the athlete’s restaurant and Braille in the elevators. At the same time, in all competition venues and non-competition venues, 297 blind road reminders have been designed and constructed since the beginning of construction. “In the Winter Paralympic Village, as long as there are roads, there are blind roads,” he said.
Whether it is convenient and smooth to use, users have the most say. Yan Zhuo, a player from the Chinese wheelchair curling team, spoke highly of the accommodation environment in the Winter Paralympic Village: “Our accommodation is one room per person, the room is large and bright, and a barrier-free toilet is provided for us, and the bed is heated and lifted. Functional and barrier-free facilities are perfect.” Kyle Sitch, a 25-year-old U.S. Paralympic hockey player, also greatly appreciated the barrier-free facilities in the Winter Paralympic Village: “The elevator has a lot of space, which is conducive to us using wheelchairs, and we Where we live, the height of the bed has also been lowered, which is very convenient for us to use, and the barrier-free facilities in the Winter Paralympic Village are really convenient!”
The National Swimming Center “Ice Cube” and the National Gymnasium, which are responsible for the ice events in the Beijing Division, have made a series of preparations for the barrier-free environment since the transition from the Winter Olympics to the Winter Paralympics. Inside the stadium, there are barrier-free ramps, whether it is the athlete’s passage leading to the competition area or the stand area. The width of these ramps, as well as the anti-slip material on the floor, helps people with disabilities get around in a wheelchair. “Our barrier-free facilities start from the athletes getting off the bus, to when they finish their final interviews and return to the lounge to rest. This process runs through and can be said to be fully covered.” Liu Zhenduo, manager of barrier-free facilities at the National Aquatics Center Say.
The barrier-free facilities of the National Biathlon Center in the Zhangjiakou Division, which hosts the Winter and Paralympic Biathlon and Paralympic cross-country skiing competitions, have also been recognized by many participants since the start of the competition. Liang Xiaodong, the barrier-free manager of the ancient poplar venues in Zhangjiakou competition area, told reporters that the barrier-free facilities in the venues are not as simple as setting up a ramp or an elevator, but are integrated into the traffic environment. “Only by creating an overall barrier-free environment, athletes can feel the smooth flow of the entire flow.” He said.
In the National Alpine Skiing Center in the Yanqing Division, the gondola lift provides convenience for disabled athletes. This lift can be used by lower limb disabled athletes with ski equipment. Nikki Ellsward, coach of the Dutch Paralympic Alpine Ski Team, is very pleased with the facilities here. He said: “I have participated in the Sochi and Pingchang Winter Paralympics, and the hardware facilities and barrier-free facilities here are the best in the Winter Paralympic Games I have participated in.”
Ileana Rodriguez, an expert on accessibility from the International Paralympic Committee, visited the Yanqing Division during the transition period of the Winter Paralympics. She was impressed by the barrier-free facilities here. “In previous Paralympic Winter Games, the accessibility of Paralympic alpine skiing venues was often the most challenging, and the alpine skiing venues of this Winter Paralympic Games are very impressive,” she said. In a wheelchair, journalists also feel very safe in the mixed interview area.”
According to Yang Jinkui, director of the Paralympic Department of the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, in accordance with the requirements of the Paralympic integration work, the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee fully incorporates the characteristics and needs of the Winter Paralympic Games into the operation and services of the event. In terms of accommodation, all Winter Olympic villages have built barrier-free facilities to provide high-quality services for Paralympic athletes and team officials, and 109 newly renovated barrier-free rooms have been renovated in 18 contracted hotels. In terms of medical treatment, 41 designated medical and health institutions have been identified to carry out activities targeting the disabled. In terms of transportation, 1,898 vehicles, including 280 barrier-free vehicles, have been put into service for the Winter Paralympic Games; in terms of security, humanized security checks have been developed. In terms of volunteer services, there are more than 9,000 volunteers serving the Winter Paralympics, including 12 disabled volunteers.
In addition to hardware facilities, athletes also felt warmth in the accessibility services of volunteers. In the Paralympic ice hockey game on March 5, the 19-year-old American team player Malik Jones scored a goal. After the game, due to special needs, the staff pushed him to the mixed mining area. He told reporters: “The staff here are friendly to every team member and they are always there to help us when we are in trouble, which is fantastic!”
Eliana Rodriguez said that in addition to the accessibility of hardware, another important Olympic legacy is the accessibility of culture and ideas. “Beijing has undoubtedly set a benchmark for the hosts of the next Winter Paralympics in this regard to allow disabled people to more actively integrate into society.” (Reporters Tai Sicong, Luo Xin, Zhang Shuo, Wang Junbao, Li Dian, Tan Chang, Zhao Jiantong , Gao Meng, Ji Jiadong, Geng Huihuang)