What are the official languages of the 2022 Winter Olympics?

The official languages of the 2022 Winter Olympics are French and English, and Chinese.

Because the official languages of the international Olympic movement are French and English, the languages that will be broadcast at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics present three languages, French, English and Mandarin Chinese.

French and English are the official languages of the IOC, and in case of discrepancies in the English version of the French text, the French version will prevail. As a result, French is arguably the first language of the Olympics and is used first in Olympic broadcasts.

This is because the father of the modern Olympics, Coubertin, was French, and because the IOC was located in Paris, France, in the early days and later moved to Lausanne, Switzerland, both of which are French-speaking cities.

Development of the official language of the Winter Olympics

This goes back to the 19th century, when a Frenchman named Pierre de Coubertin initiated the creation of the International Olympic Committee in 1894. In honor of this founder, the IOC and the modern Olympic Games have incorporated Francophone culture and continue the tradition today.

1. The modern Olympic movement was born at the end of the 19th century under the impetus of the Frenchman Coubertin, and such historical reasons have shaped the importance of the French language in the Olympic movement.

2. The status of the French language is clearly stated in the Olympic Charter. Article 24 stipulates that "the two official languages of the International Olympic Committee shall be French and English" and adds that "in case of ambiguity, French shall prevail".