Sport

Beijing marks 100 days to Winter Olympics amid COVID, rights concerns

Published

4 years ago

October 27, 2021

With 100 days until the start of the Winter Olympics, Beijing is promising a “simple and safe” 2022 Games – although preparations are anything but simple as China readies to host thousands of athletes and personnel as it battles COVID-19 flare-ups, Reuters reported.

Beijing will be the first city to stage both the Summer and Winter Games, but the 2022 event is shadowed by the coronavirus pandemic and calls from human rights groups for a boycott over China’s treatment of Tibet, Uyghur Muslims and Hong Kong.

The Games will run Feb. 4 to 20, with all participants subject to daily COVID-19 tests and no international spectators. Unlike this year’s Tokyo Summer Games local spectators will be allowed at events in and around the Chinese capital.

According to the report athletes and other Games-related personnel will be enveloped in a “closed loop” including three clusters of venues – one in downtown Beijing, one in the outskirts near the Great Wall, and one to the northwest of the city, in Hebei province.

Also unlike the Tokyo Games, which were delayed by a year and faced speculation they would be cancelled, there has been little doubt the Beijing Winter Olympics will take place – no matter what – as an increasingly assertive China seizes the opportunity to demonstrate soft power.

Still, the countdown comes as China, with some of the world’s most stringent COVID-19 controls, battles small Delta variant outbreaks. The Beijing and Wuhan marathons were postponed this week, and curbs on travel into the capital were announced due to dozens of daily new cases, read the report.

Restrictions on gatherings and travel have contributed to a lack of the anticipatory buzz that marked Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics – an extravaganza widely seen as China’s global coming-out party.

Since then, China has risen to superpower status, locked in antagonistic competition with the United States and under the increasingly authoritarian leadership of President Xi Jinping, with tightened censorship and suppression of dissent.

During the torch-lighting ceremony in Athens earlier this month, rights activists unfurled a banner reading “No Genocide Games” and waved a Tibetan flag, although the ceremony itself was not interrupted, as had been the case for the 2008 Beijing Summer Games.

Rights groups and some U.S. lawmakers have called on the International Olympic Committee to postpone the Winter Games and relocate the event unless China ends what the United States deems ongoing genocide against Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups.

Activists and U.N. rights experts have said that at least 1 million Muslims were detained in camps in Xinjiang since 2017. Beijing denies all allegations of abuse of Uyghurs and describes the camps as vocational training facilities to combat religious extremism, Reuters reported.

After Boston Celtics centre Enes Kanter posted videos denouncing China’s human rights record last week, his name appeared to be blocked on China’s social media platform Weibo, and his team’s highlights were dropped from a domestic sports platform.

While no country has said its athletes will boycott the Games, European, British and American lawmakers have all voted for their diplomats to do so.

According to the report some facilities built for 2008, including the Bird’s Nest Stadium, will be re-used for 2022. Others have been newly built near the city of Zhangjiakou in Hebei province, connected to Beijing by high speed rail, with the region’s cold but dry winters requiring the help of artificial snow to cover slopes.

The Games are also set to feature players from North America’s National Hockey League after they skipped the 2018 edition in Pyeongchang, South Korea, with superstars like Canada’s Sidney Crosby and Russia’s Alexander Ovechkin poised to add star power.

And while Xi has positioned the Games as an opportunity to accelerate development of winter sports, China is not expected to be among the biggest medals winners.

China topped the gold medals table at the 2008 Summer Games and came second at Tokyo, but won just one in the Winter Games in Pyeongchang and finished 14th overall.

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FC Goa to take on FC Istiklol in next AFC Champions League Two match

Published

2 days ago

December 24, 2025

Ariana News

As FC Goa prepare to host FC Istiklol at the iconic Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in India, football fans are gearing up for an exciting AFC Champions League Two Group D clash.

In their previous encounter earlier in the tournament, Istiklol secured a 2‑0 victory over FC Goa in Tajikistan, with goals from Rustam Soirov and Reza Dehghani giving the visitors all three points.

Istiklol enter this rematch with strong momentum from their earlier win, while FC Goa are determined to claim their first points in the group. Goa will aim to turn the tables at home, leveraging the support of their fans at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to challenge Istiklol’s attacking threat.

The two teams have faced each other only a handful of times in continental competition. So far, Istiklol hold the edge in the head-to-head record, with the previous 2‑0 victory representing their only meeting in this season’s tournament. This sets the stage for a highly anticipated rematch as both clubs vie for crucial group points.

Experts say the midfield battle will be pivotal, determining possession and the tempo of the match. Istiklol’s continental experience may give them an edge, but Goa’s speed and technical skill — especially on home turf — could prove decisive in overturning their previous defeat.

Fans can expect a high-intensity clash and can tune in to Ariana Television at 1pm tomorrow, Thursday December 25, to watch the match.

Sport

ATN brings Winter and Summer Olympics live to Afghanistan

For the first time, viewers across Afghanistan will be able to follow the winter Olympic experience live on Ariana Television, from alpine skiing and ice hockey to skating and snowboarding, as the world’s best athletes compete across iconic Italian venues.

Published

2 days ago

December 24, 2025

Ariana News

Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) has secured the exclusive rights to broadcast both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games live across Afghanistan, marking a major milestone for sports fans nationwide and reaffirming ATN’s position as the country’s home of world-class sport.

The first global spectacle to arrive on Afghan screens will be the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, set to take place in Milano–Cortina, Italy, from February 6 to 22, 2026.

That excitement will be followed by the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, United States, scheduled for July 14 to 30, 2028. The LA Games will bring together more than 200 nations and thousands of athletes across dozens of sports, showcasing the pinnacle of global athletic achievement on one of the world’s biggest sporting stages.

With these landmark rights, ATN will deliver comprehensive, free-to-air Olympic coverage to millions of viewers across Afghanistan. The broadcasts will connect Afghan audiences to moments of inspiration, unity and sporting excellence that define the Olympic movement.

The Olympic deals further strengthen ATN’s rapidly growing sports portfolio, which already includes major international football, futsal and cricket competitions, and reflect the network’s ongoing commitment to bringing premium global content to Afghan viewers.

From the snow-covered mountains of Italy to the sunlit stadiums of Los Angeles, ATN is set to take Afghanistan on an unforgettable Olympic journey — celebrating sport, perseverance and the power of shared global moments, live on ATN.

Fans can stay informed by following Ariana News and Ariana Television’s social media pages where details including match times and dates of all sporting events broadcast are posted.

Sport

Cricket fever set to soar as ATN secures exclusive rights to air IPL in Afghanistan

With its extensive terrestrial reach, Ariana Television is uniquely positioned to deliver the IPL to households in cities, towns and remote areas alike.

Published

2 days ago

December 24, 2025

Ariana News

Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) has delivered another major win for sports fans across Afghanistan, securing the live and exclusive broadcast rights to next year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) — one of the world’s most-watched and commercially powerful cricket tournaments.

The landmark agreement means millions of viewers across the country will be able to follow every boundary, wicket and nail-biting finish of the IPL free-to-air on Ariana Television, reaffirming ATN’s position as Afghanistan’s undisputed home of world-class sport.

Often described as the crown jewel of global T20 cricket, the IPL brings together the sport’s biggest superstars from around the world, including elite players from India, Afghanistan, Australia, England, South Africa, the West Indies and beyond.

Its high-octane format, packed stadiums and dramatic finishes have made it a global phenomenon, attracting hundreds of millions of viewers each season.

For Afghan cricket fans — among the most passionate and knowledgeable supporters in the world — the deal represents far more than just entertainment.

“This is a historic moment for sports broadcasting in Afghanistan,” an ATN spokesperson said. “Cricket is deeply woven into the fabric of Afghan society, and the IPL is the pinnacle of modern cricket. By securing exclusive rights, ATN is ensuring that Afghan viewers remain connected to the very best the sporting world has to offer.”

The agreement builds on ATN’s growing portfolio of premium international sports rights and follows a series of high-profile acquisitions that have elevated the network’s reputation well beyond the region.

With its extensive terrestrial reach, Ariana Television is uniquely positioned to deliver the IPL to households in cities, towns and remote areas alike.

Afghan players have also played an increasingly prominent role in the IPL in recent years, with stars such as Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Noor Ahmad among others becoming household names through their performances on the tournament’s biggest stages. Their success has inspired a new generation of Afghan cricketers — and fans — making the IPL’s availability in Afghanistan all the more significant.

Media analysts say the deal is a major boost for Afghanistan’s broadcast landscape, at a time when access to international sport remains limited in many parts of the world.

“Securing exclusive IPL rights is a statement of intent,” said one regional media expert. “It shows that ATN is not only competing at an international level, but winning. For advertisers, audiences and the wider sports industry, it reinforces Afghanistan as an active and engaged market.”

With this latest acquisition, ATN has once again proven its ability to bring the world’s biggest sporting spectacles directly into Afghan homes — ensuring that when the first ball of the IPL is bowled next year, Afghanistan will be watching live, together.

Fans can stay fully up to date by following Ariana News and Ariana Television across official social media platforms, where schedules, match times, broadcast dates, and the latest updates on all live sporting events are shared regularly.

Viewers are encouraged to follow these pages to ensure they don’t miss a moment of the world-class action being brought to screens across Afghanistan.