By Aniek Paul
Chinese skier Yan Feuz says there is a lack of ski lift, snow and excitement in the Chinese capital at the time of the Beijing Olympic ski event. China’s first Olympics is in Beijing on the 16th-18th September. Feuz won two World Cup medals in Australia, including one for the FIS Ski World Cup, last month, but decided to turn down invitations from organisers in Beijing. “There is none of that excitement in Beijing at the moment,” Feuz told BBC World Service Sport. Before the Beijing Olympics were given the green light by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the French freestyle skiing federation (FIS) wrote to all 206 member nations to ask them to donate $200,000 each. FEUZ FACTFILE Born: 29 October 1980 in Uxbridge, UK
Joined PEI in 1994, moved to France in 1997
Named World Cup 2013 Male Ski Rider of the Year in 2008, 2009 and 2010 Feuz’s contribution, in just over 12 years, has been nothing short of remarkable. He has won more ski World Cup races than any other male skier in recent history. Feuz is also the only male skier to ever have won three consecutive ski World Cup Super G races and holds the World Cup Xplorathon event (a combination of ski race and slalom). “It is true that China has a very promising snow-riding and skiing culture, but without infrastructure and the right snow conditions, they are just a bit too early for such an event,” Feuz said. With the Winter Olympics nearly upon us, many athletes from across the world, are making promotional appearances to the worldwide press in Beijing. Feuz was however too busy to stop and greet the press this time round. The 35-year-old, who won Olympic gold in giant slalom in 2006, who boasts five World Cup wins in Super G and super combined over the last four years, is not one to shy away from promotion either. “If we do not fight on the slopes, we might as well just quit the sport,” said Feuz. “It’s the big things that matter. I just really want to make the Chinese people happy, not just by skiing, but by skiing.” Feuz has not competed in snowboard events in the past, but believes China needs to look closer to home to discover this new winter sports frontier. “In the future, the snow comes from Japan, but China should look at itself,” Feuz said.
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