The 2022 Winter Olympics wrapped up with fireworks lighting up the sky over Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Stadium Sunday night, bringing an end to a Games fraught with controversy. From COVID protocols to gold-medal triumphs, the sordid backstory of China to the sordid ongoing drama of skating, the Olympics left the world inspired, outraged and — of course — polarized. Here’s the story of the 2022 Beijing Olympics, as told by the people who lived it.
“Relax.”
The Beijing Olympics were conducted inside a closed loop — athletes, officials, journalists and volunteers inside the loop would have no contact or access to those outside, including the Chinese people.