From 9 to 25 February 2018, the XXIII Olympic Winter Games will be held in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang.
Traditionally, the Olympics is one of the most anticipated sporting events for millions of fans around the world. Several thousand accredited journalists from all over the world will cover competitions in 15 disciplines in 7 winter sports.

How the capital of the 2018 Winter Olympics was chosen

On July 6, 2011, the 123rd session of the International Olympic Committee took place in the city of Durban (South Africa), at which the issue of the venue for the 2018 Winter Olympics was decided.

It is no secret that the Olympic Games are not only a very prestigious event, but also quite costly.
Perhaps this is the reason why only three applications were submitted to the IOC to host the 2018 Winter Olympics.

The contenders were:

1. Annecy (city in the South-East of France).
2. Munich, Germany).
3. Pyeongchang (South Korea).

When choosing a city for the 2018 Winter Olympics, the following arguments were voiced:

• France has already held five Olympiads (more were held only in the USA) and despite the high level of the past competitions, such a frequent preference for this European country can be considered as injustice in relation to other IOC member countries.
• Munich was the capital of the 1972 Summer Olympics, remembered for all the unprecedented violation of the principles of the world Olympic movement, when members of the Israeli sports delegation were taken hostage by the militants of the Black September international terrorist organization.
• Pyeongchang has applied to host the Olympics for the third time in a row. Despite the failure with two previous applications, the construction of sports facilities is actively underway in the city, and active work is underway to promote the development of sports in the Asian region.

Countries participating in the Olympics in Korea 2018

84 countries will be represented at the Olympic Games in PyeongChang. For the first time, two new countries, Eritrea and Kosovo, will take part in the 2018 Winter Olympics.

On December 2, 2017, it was announced that the DPRK refused to participate in the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang.
However, in his New Year's address to the people, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced his readiness to reverse this decision and send a delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Competitions at the 2018 Olympic Games

At the 2018 Winter Olympics, competitions will be held in 15 sports and 102 disciplines. The IOC has included 6 new disciplines in the program of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang:

• Snowboard. Big air among men and women.
• Curling. Double-mixed.
• Skating. Mass start for men and women.
• Skiing. Team competition.

At the same time, 2 disciplines are excluded - parallel slalom in snowboard (men and women).

Competition schedule

Korea Olympics 2018 in facts and figures

It will cost South Korea about $ 9 billion. Of this huge amount, about $ 2 billion will go directly to the Olympic Games, and other expenses - $ 7 billion. These are public funds and private investments. These significant sums will be spent on the construction of infrastructure (stadiums, hotels) and transport links.

The medals of the 2018 Olympics will be the most massive in the history of the Olympic Games: gold - 586 grams, silver - 580 grams, bronze - 493 grams.

Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Games mascots

This will be a black bear and a white tiger. In Korea, the tiger has always been a symbol of trust, strength and protection, and the white tiger once helped protect the country and its people. The name of the tiger mascot is "Soohorang".

Asian black bear - personifies willpower and courage.

Korea Olympics Flame Relay 2018

The fire was lit on October 24 in Olympia, Greece. The relay itself in South Korea began on November 1, 100 days before the opening of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

The Olympic torch relay runs through 17 cities and provinces, 7.5 thousand torchbearers take part, and the length of the relay route is symbolic 2018 kilometers.

The torch itself is 700 mm long. The figure is chosen according to the height of Pyeongchang above sea level. The color scheme is white and gold, these are the main colors of the 2018 Winter Olympics

Russia's participation in the Olympic Games in Korea 2018

On December 5, 2017, the IOC announced the decision to suspend the Russian Olympic Committee and, accordingly, the Russian national team from participating in the 2018 Olympic Games.
However, our athletes will be able to participate in competitions individually under the Olympic flag.

Our participants will be called "Olympic athletes from Russia", the Olympic anthem will be played at the awards ceremony.

This is the first case in the history of the Olympic movement that the national team of a country was suspended from participation in the Olympics for the massive use of doping.

According to the IOC's decision, none of the officials of the Russian Ministry of Sports will be accredited for the 2018 Korea Olympics.
Also, coaches and doctors whose wards were convicted of doping will not be allowed to the 2018 Olympics.

According to the IOC's official statement, the reason for the removal of the Russian national team is "systematic manipulation of anti-doping rules and the anti-doping system in Russia during the Olympic Games in Sochi using the Disappearing Positive Methodology."

This conclusion was made in the report of Samuel Schmid, who was instructed to verify the facts about government interference in the anti-doping system, set out in the McLaren report.

In response to this decision, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the state would not interfere with the travel of Russian athletes to the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.
! On December 2, 2017, the Council of Olympians of Russia took place, at which a decision was made to participate in the games of the team “Olympic athletes from Russia”.

Despite the current situation, we believe in the success of our team and we will root for our athletes no less and perhaps even more than ever before.

Where will the fire of the next Olympics light up? Will Asia Become the Center These are the questions everyone wants to be answered. South Korea, years - these components have come together, which promises a lot of interesting things.

Intrigue

The closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Sochi took place quite recently. Behind the ups and downs, joy and broken hopes. Only life does not stand still. If the Russian organizers breathed a sigh of relief and went on a well-deserved rest, then in distant Pyeongchang, on the contrary, the preparation work is just beginning. How to properly coordinate preparation activities? What grandiose changes await the Russian football infrastructure? Will new stadiums and ski runs be built? What, apart from carnivals, will Brazil please us in 2016? Many new perspectives and tasks are posed before mankind by preparation for competitions on a planetary level. Are we ready to tackle them? The construction of Olympic facilities is a serious test for any country. The higher the bar, the more requirements. You can't stop half way. How is the preparation going, what difficulties do the organizers face? Let's try to figure it out.

Why Pyeongchang

Only on the third attempt did South Korea achieve the desired result. Previous applications ended in fiasco, and Vancouver and Sochi celebrated the victory. Finally, the whole world knew where the 2018 Olympics will be. Kim Jin Sung has been appointed President of the Organizing Committee. In Sochi, the Olympic functionary studied methods of infrastructure management and adopted the experience of his Russian colleagues.

What do we know about South Korea? This Asian country is developing rapidly. Today the sports infrastructure has excellent ski trails and sports facilities. This makes getting ready for games much easier. The peculiar climate will allow athletes to compete and get a boost of vivacity and health. Clean mountain air will help to set new Olympic records. The region is subdivided into mountainous and coastal clusters. The communication between them will be supported by trains. In addition to sports facilities, the country has many attractions that guests will appreciate. South Korea, the 2018 Olympics is a fateful event that will allow this Asian country to further strengthen its position in the world community. Therefore, Pyeongchang was chosen for the honorary role of the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

When and where will the Summer Olympics take place

No one will know when and where the 2018 Summer Olympics will be, because the time interval between the Olympic Games is 4 years. Following a massive sporting event in London in 2012, South America has been the venue for the next one for the first time. The country of carnivals and fun - Brazil - will welcome guests from all over the world in the summer of 2016. The preparation is not without difficulty. The biggest problem will be transport links. Terrain features limit fast travel to Brazilians are laying a new metro line in order to minimize the time spent by everyone who wants to visit the show. This task is complicated by the fact that when laying a subway line, you have to break through solid granite. In addition to the new branch, the communication will be supported by new bus routes. The Maracana stadium, which is to become the arena for the grand opening and closing, is rather outdated. Now it is undergoing a complete reconstruction. Also, the velodrome should be illuminated with new life. The organizers promise to bring it in line with all the Olympic requirements. But the venue for the Olympic Games in 2020 will again be Asia. Tokyo - this city is waiting for fans. Unlike Pyeongchang, where the 2018 Olympics will be held, the country of new technologies, Japan, will meet everyone at

Football Challenges 2018

Everyone knows how many spectacles and positive emotions the Olympics can offer. In football, 2018 will be marked by the holding of the World Cup in Russia. The World Cup, as you know, is not inferior in terms of entertainment. The geography of this event will amaze with its scale. Football battles will be hosted by Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan and Yekaterinburg. And although there are still 4 years until 2018, preparations are proceeding at a rapid pace. City sports arenas are in various stages of alert. A completely new concept is being developed for the stadium in Luzhniki. Construction is already underway in St. Petersburg. In some cities, preparation is at the drafting level. Architects take into account the peculiarities of each region. The landscape, remoteness from other objects, the possibility of transport communication are considered. For example, in St. Petersburg, the stadium will be located on an island. Accordingly, there is a need for an interesting and extraordinary solution to the transport issue.

Financing

Funding will come from the operating budget (FIFA organizing committee). The second component, on which the lion's share falls, is the funds allocated by the host country. This includes investor funds. Even a special budget program has been created, consisting of 11 sections. The organizers promise free travel for fans, as well as visa-free travel to the country. Russia will once again show its high level of organization of such events after Sochi. The FIFA World Cup in Russia will be a spectacular continuation of the sporting events in Pyeongchang, where the 2018 Olympics will be held. It's not a secret for anyone that holding competitions of this level is an important mission. General Director of the Organizing Committee Alexei Sorokin assured that Russia will cope with this honorable task with excellent marks. The training committee includes 48 people. By 2018, their number should increase to 2,000.

Perspectives

Nothing brings nations closer together than joint efforts to prepare for sports. In 2016, in Brazil, where the next summer Olympics will be held in 2018, in Russia, where the World Cup is waiting for us, and in 2018 in South Korea, where skiers and biathletes will clash in battles, everyone is concerned about the same same problems. The main one is the timely completion of construction. In Pyeongchang, projects for 6 new sports facilities are nearing completion. Infrastructure construction has already begun. The mountain resort Alpenzia, where it is planned to hold competitions in cross-country skiing, nordic combined, luge, bobsleigh, skeleton, has always been distinguished by a high level of service. There are 6 ski slopes of different levels here. The diving board offers an amazing view of the future. In Hwen Park, the opening and closing of the Olympic Games is planned. The giant slalom competition will be held in Jönköpen. In addition, all fans will be able to visit the winter sports museum.

Difficulties

In Brazil, the difficulty arose with the location of the choice of construction. Local residents oppose the demolition of their homes and resettlement in apartment buildings. Architects and organizers hardly manage to convince people that the Olympic district, built with the latest technologies, after the games will become one of the best and most beautiful places in the city. In addition, the local population will have new jobs. Engineers are struggling with the organization of treatment facilities at the construction site of future facilities. In recent years, the ecological state of the multi-million dollar metropolis has significantly deteriorated. The place where the rowing competition will be held is called the garbage lagoon. Transforming this corner into a paradise requires the display of ingenuity and professionalism. World partners of the Olympic Committee are making a big contribution to the construction of new facilities. The DOW Company is one example. Building specialists are transforming sports infrastructure into a fairy tale by introducing innovative technologies. The 2018 Asian Olympics, where the battle will take place in 7 winter sports and their varieties, is no exception.

Outcomes

It doesn't matter what kind of sport this or that person likes more. It will be a type of Summer or Winter Olympics. Or maybe a hot battle of football players at the next World Championship. Where will the 2018 or 2020 Olympics be. Everyone understands that competitions of this level are primarily designed to unite peoples, consolidate joint efforts, and learn from each other's experience. Children from all countries will be delighted with the new stadiums. Perhaps this is where new Olympic champions will grow up. And already they will inscribe new names in the legendary chronicle in golden letters. And although everyone knows the famous motto of the Olympics "The main thing is not victory, the main thing is participation", I would like to wish everyone victory!

Attention, only TODAY! February 29, 2020, in, a welterweight bout will take place between two professional American boxers: Jesse Vargas and Mikey Garcia.

We tell where will it take place, what time will it start and where to watch boxing Garcia - Vargas February 29 (March 1) 2020.

The meeting of the fighters will be final during the boxing evening, which will be held at the "Ford Center" with a capacity of 12 thousand spectators, which is part of the Zvezda complex ( Ford Center at The Star) located in Frisco, Texas (USA).

What time will boxing Garcia - Vargas begin:
The nine-fight event is set to kick off at 6:00 pm ET on February 29, 2020, which corresponds to 02:00 am ET on March 1, 2020.

Most Anticipated Boxing the fight Garcia - Vargas will begin at approximately 7 am "Moscow time" on March 1, 2020 (Sunday morning), after the completion of 8 previous bouts.

By the way, in the second fight of the evening (out of nine) Uzbek boxer Israil Madrimov will compete against Charlie Navarro. Also, the tournament was originally planned to fight Russian Murat Gassiev against Jerry Forrest, which was later canceled.

Where to watch the fight Garcia - Vargas on February 29 (March 1) 2020:

Live meeting Garcia - Vargas will show "First channel... The beginning of the direct connection from the "Ford Center" - 06:55 Moscow time.

And on the website of the "First" channel, the fight can be watched online and in recording.

Since ancient times, various beliefs and traditions have been associated with leap years. Today we will talk about what a woman can ask a man on a leap day on February 29, but he has no right to refuse.

There is an old European custom, according to which once every four years - February 29 - a woman can ask for a hand (propose to marry her) from a man, and not vice versa. AND at the same time, a man has no right to just refuse from this offer - he must either agree or "pay off" (pay a "fine" for refusal). In monetary terms, the "penalty" is equal to the cost of 12 pairs of gloves. It is believed that this is how many pairs of gloves a woman will need to hide the absence of a wedding ring until the next leap day.

This tradition originated in Ireland in the 4th century AD, when Saint Patrick, who spread Christianity in the country, allowed women to make marriage proposals to men once every four years. This was done in order to "balance" the roles of men and women in society, just as the leap day on February 29 balances the calendar.

In the Middle Ages, in a number of European countries, this rule was even approved at the legislative level. For example, in the 13th century in Scotland, when young knights died en masse in battles and many girls could not find a mate, a law was passed according to which a woman could propose to a man on February 29, and if he refused, he was obliged to pay a fine ... Similar laws were passed at different times in England, Denmark and other countries.

And even in Russia there was a similar tradition.... Only for "our" girls the opportunity to call a loved one into husbands worked for more than one day, but throughout the entire leap year. The leap year was called the "year of the bride", while matchmakers could not be sent to the girls, because they themselves chose their future husbands. Since then, in Russia, a leap year has been considered unsuccessful for a wedding, since men did not have the opportunity to choose their own bride.

The 2018 Winter Olympics will be held from February 9 to 25 in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang. Athletes from all over the world will compete for 98 medals in seven sports. Three cities expressed their desire to host the 2018 Olympic Games: French Annecy, German Munich and Korean Pyeongchang. The latter put forward his candidacy for the competition in 2010 and 2014. But both times he lost to strong competitors: Vancouver and Sochi.

Pyeongchang - Olympic Capital

The authorities of the South Korean city continued to build sports facilities and apply, and the third time they were lucky. In 2011, the International Olympic Committee named Pyeongchang the Olympic Capital. The reason for the decision was the record low number of applicants and the enthusiasm of Koreans for the competition. Residents of Annecy and Munich were cool about the Olympics, which could worsen the environment.

The XXIII Olympic Winter Games will be held from 9 to 25 February in PyeongChang

Pyeongchang Olympic venues

Pyeongchang is a county in the East of the country and a popular ski resort. It is located 180 km from the Korean capital (Seoul). There are about a hundred slopes in the county with a height of over 1,000 m. The center of the Olympics will be the Alpenzia complex. It will host competitions in ski jumping, biathlon, cross-country skiing, bobsleigh, slalom and other sports.

The Olympic Village is located nearby. The opening and closing celebrations of the competition will take place at the Alpenzia Olympic Stadium. The resort town of Gangneung will host competitions in curling, ice hockey, figure skating, and short track speed skating. Its own Olympic Village will be created in the vicinity of Gangneung. In addition, the stadium in the town of Chunbon will host the downhill skiing championship, and the Bugwan Phoenix Park - in freestyle and snowboarding.

Koreans have thoroughly prepared for the upcoming Olympics and have erected many Olympic facilities in the mountain heights of Pyeongchang

Olympic disciplines

Athletes will compete in seven sports, within which there are separate disciplines:

1. Biathlon
2. Bobsleigh including skeleton
3. Curling
4. Skating
5. skiing
6. Luge
7. Hockey

In 2018, big air (snowboarding), mass start (speed skating), double mixed (curling) and team competition (alpine skiing) were added to the list of disciplines. Competitions in parallel slalom in snowboarding among men and women were removed from the program.

Participants of the 2018 Olympics

It is assumed that in 2018 about two and a half thousand athletes from ninety countries will compete for the Olympic medals. The Olympic committees of Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Norway, Russia, Slovakia and a dozen other countries have already confirmed their participation.

Sports activism of Koreans finally appreciated by the founders of the Olympics

Tickets for the Olympics

Attending the competition will cost 20,000-900,000 Korean won (1,200-50,000 rubles). More than half of the tickets will cost less than 80,000 won (RUR 4600). The entrance to the opening and closing of the Olympics was estimated at 200 thousand won (120,000 rubles). The most "expensive" sports are figure skating and ice hockey for men. To watch these competitions, you will have to pay 150-900 thousand won (R 9-50 000). Tickets will go on sale in October 2016.

Olympiad symbols

The logo of the competition is the hieroglyphs "ㅍ" and "ㅊ". They represent the initial letters of the Korean word Pyeongchang. "ㅍ" symbolizes the venue for the Olympics, where heaven, people and earth exist in harmony, "" stands for ice, snow and winter sports. The design uses colors that are traditional for both Korea and the Olympic movement.

Official mascots of the 2018 Olympics and Paralympics

The symbol of the Olympics is the white tiger, and the Paralympics, which will take place a month later, is the Himalayan white-breasted bear. The slogan of the sporting event is “Passion. Connected "(" Passion. Connected ").

Winter Paralympics 2018

The Paralympic Games will take place in Pyeongchang on March 9-18. Competitions for athletes with disabilities will be held in six sports:

1. Ski race.
2. Biathlon.
3. Skiing.
4. Park snowboard.
5. Sledge hockey.
6. Curling on wheelchairs.

Among the participants will compete for 80 medals in different disciplines.

Preparations for the Olympic Games are in full swing in Pyeongchang

Volunteer movement

In September 2016, the organizers recruited volunteers to work at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. More than 20 thousand volunteers will participate in organizing events, helping participants and journalists.

The XXIII Olympic Winter Games will be held in PyeongChang, Republic of South Korea from 9 to 25 February 2018. The city has twice become a candidate for hosting the 2010 and 2014 Winter Games. However, he was lucky only on the third attempt. On June 6, 2011, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Pyeongchang would still become the capital of the Olympics.

Who else claimed to host the 2018 Winter Olympics?

There were only three official applications for the 2018 Olympics: Annecy (France), Munich (Germany) and Pyeongchang (South Korea). For comparison, Russian Sochi, which became the venue for the XXII Winter Olympic Games in 2014, managed to bypass six cities, including Pyeongchang.

Who will be the mascot of the 2018 Olympics?

The mascot of the Olympics were the white tiger Suhorang, considered by the South Koreans as the sacred guardian of animals, and the strong and courageous bear Bandabi, who was entrusted with the embodiment of the Paralympic competitions. The images of the animals were posted on Twitter by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will be held in South Korean Pyeongchang, have their own mascots! pic.twitter.com/sY6LcQR8FU

- Olympic Games (@Olympic) June 2, 2016

The emblem of the 2018 Olympics consists of two symbols. The one on the left denotes the unity and harmony of the sky (blue stripe), earth (red) and man (the space between the two stripes). And the snowflake on the right represents winter sports.

Photo: Public Domain

What sports will the Olympians compete in?

• biathlon;
• bobsleigh: bobsleigh, skeleton;
• speed skating: speed skating, figure skating, short track;
• curling;
• skiing: alpine skiing, Nordic combined, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, snowboarding, freestyle;
• luge sports;
• hockey.

In 2015, the IOC excluded parallel slalom in snowboarding (men and women) from the 2018 Olympics program and included several more new disciplines:

• big air in snowboarding (men and women);
• mass start in speed skating (men and women);
• double mixed curling;
• team competitions in alpine skiing.