The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Teqball Federation (FITEQ) have built nearly 40 promotional bases to help the sport's development in the country over the past year, it has been claimed.

This month, the inaugural Beijing Teqball Challenge was held at the Olympic Village as the build up for the Winter Olympics continues. 

It has been claimed the event, along with other investment in the sport in China, will aid teqball's growth in the Olympic host country.

The Olympics are due to get underway on February 4 2022.

Gao Yunchao, deputy director of Beijing Olympic City Development Promotion Center, said: "The Olympic Committee for the promotion of the Olympic Games (IOC) has carried out strategic cooperation with the international Teqball Federation and provided free teqball tables and supporting services to all districts, streets and units, and built nearly 40 promotion bases in the past year to promote the development of Teqball in Beijing. 

"At the same time, the first Beijing Teqball Challenge was held to promote international emerging sports into the public, promote national fitness and enrich people People's sports and cultural life, better meet the needs of people's sports and health, and promote the construction of Beijing International Exchange Center."

 The Hungarian Embassy in China added: "Table tennis originated in Victorian Britain. 

"The earliest form of football is ancient Chinese Cuju. 

"Teqball is like a combination of Eastern and Western cultures. 

"As an emerging sports event, it is very popular all over the world. 

"[We] thank the International Teqball Federation and the Beijing Olympic City Development Promotion Association for the popularity of teqball, a sport originated in Hungary, in China.

"We really hope that one day Teqball can appear in the Olympic Games."