• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Winter Olympics Compared To Dystopian Sci-Fi Horror Over Skiing Location

Home> News

Updated 15:59 8 Feb 2022 GMTPublished 10:16 8 Feb 2022 GMT

Winter Olympics Compared To Dystopian Sci-Fi Horror Over Skiing Location

One of the settings for this year's Beijing Winter Olympic games has left viewers underwhelmed, and slightly confused.

Hannah Smith

Hannah Smith

The Winter Olympics has seen some stunning locations over the years, from the snowy alps to the cherry blossom-lined mountains of Sapporo.

But one of the settings for this year's Beijing games has left viewers underwhelmed, and slightly confused.

With most of the skiing and snowboarding events taking place more than 100 miles from the host city, Big Air Shougang is the only snow sports venue actually located in Beijing.

Advert

And what a location it is.

Big Air Shougang (Alamy)
Big Air Shougang (Alamy)

Amid controversy over the widespread use of fake snow at the 2022 Olympics, the games organisers appear to have elected to go down an alternative route for its Big Air venue, forgoing the traditional snowy mountainside arena setting for something that more closely resembles the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant.

As millions around the world tuned in to watch Chinese-American sensation and face of the games Eileen Gu compete in the women's Big Air ski event, many were surprised when the Olympic broadcast revealed that the backdrop of the arena appeared to be a disused factory.

Advert

According to Reuters, the venue is built on top of a former steel mill which was shut down prior to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games over concerns about air pollution.

The snowy course is a pretty stark contrast to the mass of concrete towers and complete lack of snow that serves as the location for the Big Air events, so much so that when images of the location were posted to Twitter, most people immediately assumed it was photoshopped.

Big Air skiing (Alamy)
Big Air skiing (Alamy)

'Is that really where it's being held? Holy f***' one Reddit commenter wrote. 'Looks like a dystopia,' someone else added, with another joking that the location brought a whole new meaning to the phrase 'Nuclear Winter.'

Advert

'Was watching that event yesterday and I thought it was one of the most depressing vistas I've ever seen on live TV. It looks like the set for the next Dredd movie or something,' a fourth person wrote.

To be fair, some people tried to find the positives in the bizarre setting, with one person posting charitably, 'It aesthetically sucks, but it's cold and has very little cloud/ bad weather at this time of year I suppose, which makes it a reliable spot for the events and TV coverage.'

The odd location didn't stop the athletes from crushing it either, with one critic tweeting, 'Have to admit, these athletes are absolutely sending it on this hill. Fun as hell to watch'

If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]

Featured Image Credit: Alamy/@BullandBaird/Twitter

Topics: Sport, Olympics, China

Hannah Smith
Hannah Smith

Hannah is a London-based journalist covering news and features for UNILAD. She's especially interested in social and political activism and culture.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • an hour ago

    Mom issues new statement as manhunt for father continues after his three daughters were found dead following visit

    Whitney Decker reported her children, Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia, missing on May 30

    News
  • an hour ago

    TSA has savage response as it issues important clarification on ID cards

    The Transportation Security Administration had to clarify the forms of ID that are required for domestic flights

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Eminem’s daughter Hailie Jade opens up about the 'struggle her dad faced’ as she reflects on her childhood

    The music legend's daughter Hailie Jade explored her father's struggles with fatherhood as she embarks on her own parenting journey

    Celebrity
  • 2 hours ago

    Super-bunker that’s hidden inside US mountain and can survive a nuclear attack

    The super-bunker was built during the height of the Cold War

    News
  • Popular sport has been removed from next Olympics for the first time in over 100 years
  • Transgender runner Nikki Hiltz is headed to Paris Olympics after winning race
  • Olympic viewers appalled at 'ridiculous' age of athlete after seeing her profile
  • Shocking moment team disqualified from Olympics final after athlete 'head-butts' rival