Olympics-Reaction to Beijing's selection as host of 2022 Winter Olympics

KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Reuters) - Reaction to Beijing's selection as host of the 2022 Winter Olympics: "You put a huge effort into bidding on the Winter Olympics. I hope your persistent efforts, solid work, the strong support of all the nationalities of the people of the country, will make the 2022 Winter Olympics a splendid, extraordinary and outstanding Olympic meet" -- China President Xi Jinping. - - "This day will go down in history. The first time in Olympic history that a city will host both a summer and a winter Olympic years. In 120 years this is unprecedented. We are overwhelmed" -- Beijing mayor Wang Anshun. - - "The Olympic motto of 'higher, faster, and stronger' is a perfect description of the Chinese government's assault on civil society: more peaceful activists detained in record time, subject to far harsher treatment. In choosing China to host another Games, the IOC has tripped on a major human rights hurdle" -- Human Rights Watch China director Sophie Richardson. - - "We are very, very excited about what we achieved here today. It is an exciting journey that is now starting" -- China's former NBA All-Star Yao Ming. - - "A safe and historical choice. With the great experience of China hosting major international sports events, it's a safe choice. We know China will deliver ion its promises" -- IOC President Thomas Bach. - - "I think the IOC chose certainty in this vote. We know how the Chinese work. There is a familiarity. Kazakhstan is bigger than (Western) Europe and has 17 million people. I think there was a degree of uncertainty" -- IOC Vice President Craig Reedie. - - "By bidding for the Winter Games we showed the world the amazing progress that Kazakhstan has made since its independence. This alone is a major victory for our country" -- Andrey Kryukov, the vice chairman of Almaty's bid team. - - "I regret that Almaty was not chosen to host 2022 Olympics. I am very sorry for Kazakhstanis, our friends. I know how much soul and heart Kazakhstan put in preparations" -- Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko. - - "This will be a memorable event at the foot of the Great Wall for the whole Olympic Family, the athletes and the spectators that will further enhance the tremendous potential to grow winter sports in our country, in Asia and around the world" -- Beijing 2022 Bid team. - - "Pyeongchang, Tokyo, and now Beijing - in quick succession Asian cities have been bestowed with the honour and privilege of hosting the Olympic Games. However, we also share a huge responsibility. All of us at Tokyo are looking forward very much to joining forces with our fellow Asian cities Pyeongchang and Beijing to further contribute to the promotion of the Olympic Movement" -- Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori. (Reporting by Julian Linden, editing by Ed Osmond)