In 2014, President Xi Jinping became the first Chinese head of state ever to be present at a major international sporting event outside China, when he attended the opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics. During an interview with Rossiya TV at the time, he spoke about his fondness for winter sports. Just over a year later, Beijing was awarded the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. Ever since then, the president has demonstrated a personal commitment to ensuring the Games' success, paying numerous visits to the sporting venues and offering his encouragement to China's athletes.