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BEAVER CREEK, Colorado (AP) — Skiing's top official says he is optimistic China can host the 2022 Winter Olympics even if the venues get little snow.
International Ski Federation President Gian Franco Kasper says "we are quite confident" if Beijing becomes the first city to host Summer and Winter Games.
Kasper says "the only question we still have is the snow."
Beijing is competing with Almaty, Kazakhstan, for hosting rights.
The veteran FIS chief says proposed Olympic venues located about one hour from Beijing got five centimeters (two inches) of snow, and organizers were quite pleased.
Snow sport venues can use artificially made snow, which must be stored in low temperatures.
IOC members will vote on the host city at a July meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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