Opinion: Olympic stories on humanity are bigger than politics
CGTN
["china","other","Korea"]

By CGTN’s The Point

When the Koreans decided to resume their joint march at the opening ceremony of 2018 Winter Games in a small county in the northeast Republic of Korea (ROK), politics on the Korean Peninsula had jumped to the center of Olympic stories.
US Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) leader Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong sat beside ROK President Moon Jae-in at the ceremony in PyeongChang on Feb. 9.
After the Games drew its curtain on Sunday, Xu Jicheng, deputy director of Beijing’s 2022 media and communication department, told CGTN’s The Point (@thepointwithlx) that the political issues didn’t overshadow the Games at all. 
It is always the athletes who center the Olympics, Xu said as a member of Beijing 2022 Winter Games organizing committee. The Games itself is a “sports gala” providing a “big stage” for athletes and in particular, the young generations. 
Tracey Lee Holmes, a senior journalist who has covered Olympic Games for decades, said that the International sports events like the Olympic Games could, however, foster a solid communication at a point that it may take a longer time to reach in the political arena.
After hosting the end of Winter Olympics, ROK said that DPRK is willing to hold talks with the US as further negotiations are expected.
Besides, she pictured the Korean stories through IOC President Thomas Bach’s “beyond politics” vision, saying: “It is a story of humanity, of a nation that became divided and (is now) coming together.”
Holmes said Sarah Murray, head coach of the two Korea’s unified women’s ice hockey team was “reluctant” to see the combination in the beginning. By the end, the 33-year-old dual citizen of the US and Canada reflected that it was life-changing for every single person, including herself.
Despite its PyeongChang disappointing performance, China also has its reason to celebrate, as Beijing will host the 2022 Games.
It is always the athletes who center the Olympics, Xu Jicheng said as a member of Beijing 2022 Winter Games organizing committee. /CFP Photo

It is always the athletes who center the Olympics, Xu Jicheng said as a member of Beijing 2022 Winter Games organizing committee. /CFP Photo

Holmes said she was not surprised with the final medal count in which China grabbed its one and only gold medal almost at the last minute of the Games.
“China’s been going through a shift that every dominant Olympic nation shares,” Holmes concluded, adding that Team China is experiencing a “face-rebuilding” phase. “During that period of change, it’s difficult to impress everybody.”
The Point with Liu Xin is a 30-minute current affairs program on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 9.30 p.m. BJT (1330GMT), with rebroadcasts at 5.30 a.m. (2130GMT) and 10.30 a.m. (0230GMT).