• Winter Olympics is the premier competition for sports that are played on ice or snow.
• It is held every four years and features participants from across the world.
• Ice skating, ice hockey, skiing and figure skating are some of the popular sports that are played at the Winter Games.

Background of Winter Olympics

• The first Winter Olympics were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France.
• Winter sports were initially played at the Summer Olympics, with the 1908 London Olympics hosting four figure skating events and Antwerp 1920 having figure skating as well as ice hockey.
• However, in 1924, a separate event was created for winter sports, called the International Winter Sports Week.
  • It was held in Chamonix, France – the host country for the 1924 Summer Olympics.
• Two years later, the International Winter Sports Week in Chamonix was officially recognised as the first Winter Olympic Games.
• India has been participating in the Winter Olympics since 1964.

Winter Olympics 2022

• This years’ edition of the Winter Olympic Games will be held in Beijing, China from 4^th February to 20^th February 2022.
• The Russian President, Pakistan Prime Minister and five Presidents from Central Asia will reach China for the opening of the Winter Olympics.
• India announces “diplomatic boycott” of Beijing Winter Olympics as a Chinese soldier involved in the Galwan incident as an Olympic torchbearer.
  • It will send an athlete for the event.
• The US, the UK, Canada and Australia have also announced a “diplomatic boycott” of the games due to the alleged human rights violations in the Xinjiang province of China.

Sources:

1. The Hindu
2. Indian Express