RIYADH — Saudi Arabia is scheduled to compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing for the first time in the sports history of the country. The Saudi winter sports team skiers Salman Al-Howaish and Fayik Abdi achieved the qualification points to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will be hosted in Beijing from Feb. 4 to 20. The skiers qualified for the first time creating history in the Kingdom in the alpine skiing competition. Now the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee will determine the final participant after applying a number of technical criteria, given the rules and regulations of the Winter Olympics. Saudi Arabia has stepped up preparations for Beijing 2022 as the Kingdom attempts to qualify athletes for the first time in the Winter Games. The Kingdom is not a hotbed for winter sports, and has never participated in an Winter Olympics till date. But thanks to the efforts of a small team of skiers and snowboarders, the Saudi flag will soon fly at the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Feb. 4.