Countdown to the Olympics, and why did China’s ski cross team part ways with their strength coach?

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The area near the the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, where the opening and closing ceremonies of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will be held, is fenced off for the closed-loop area designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Beijing, China, January 11, 2022. REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski

On the show this week: with just eight days to go until the Olympic flame is lit, Mark and Haig talk hockey and Covid complications for athletes (2:18), a change in the testing systems that lowers the Covid-19 testing threshold (8:25), and an update on event invitations — Haig just may go to an event or two (11:57).

Then: until recently Joop Wiersema was the strength and conditioning coach for China’s ski cross team. He was abruptly let go after he was diagnosed with Covid. Mark talks to him about what happened. (14:37). On the agenda: testing positive on arrival at Calgary airport and parting ways with the Chinese team (16:07), the differences coaching in China vs coaching in his native Holland (21:00), dealing with input from administrators who may not have the expertise to be giving advice (23:20), the surprising recruitment process for ski cross athletes (33:56), and Joop’s predictions for China’s winter sporting future (40:39).

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