REFILE-Olympics-IOC kicks off proceedings for 2022 winter Games host vote

(Fixes spelling of Yandong in 4th para)
By Karolos Grohmann
KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Reuters) - The International Olympic
Committee (IOC) kicked off proceedings for the election of the
2022 winter Olympics host city on Friday with favourites Beijing
facing Kazakhstan's Almaty.
The Chinese capital, banking on the country's financial
clout and the city's past Olympic experience from hosting the
summer 2008 Games, has emerged as the clear frontrunner as it
looks to become the first city to be awarded both summer and
winter Games.
China's proposal will see the indoor ice sports taking place
in venues around Beijing, including some that were used in 2008
such as the iconic Bird's Nest stadium and the Water Cube, while
the outdoor skiing and sliding sports will be held at the
mountain venues of Yanqing and Zhangjiakou.
Beijing's biggest drawback, identified by the IOC, is a lack
of snow at the mountain venues, which are some 90km and 160km
respectively away from Beijing, forcing organisers to create
tonnes of artificial snow.
Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong is leading the delegation
in its final presentation to the IOC members later on Friday.
Almaty, which made a failed attempt to host for the 2014
Olympics back in 2006, has made up some ground in recent months
with a compact bid that sees all sports taking place within a
35-kilometre radius of the former Soviet winter sports hub.
Plenty of natural snow and a trademark winter setting have
won points for the bid as the Central Asian nation is hoping to
get the nod ahead of China and establish itself on the
international sports map.
Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov, who heads the bid,
will attempt to convince IOC members that any financial
concerns, identified in the IOC's evaluation report, are
unfounded with a part of the country's $70 billion oil fund at
the organisers' disposal.
Some 85 members of the 100 IOC will be voting at the 128th
session in the Malaysian capital with a straight majority
sufficient to decide the outcome.
The IOC President Thomas Bach has elected not to vote along
while a handful of other members, including FIFA president Sepp
Blatter, were not present.