Denmark claimed the last available place in the men's curling tournament with victory over the Czech Republic last month ©Getty Images

National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark President Hans Natorp believes there is "nothing to suggest" that the Winter Olympics will not go ahead as the first Danish athletes have been selected for Beijing 2022.

Five women and five men have been chosen to represent Denmark in the curling tournament at next month’s Games.

Madeleine Dupont will skip the women’s team that consists of her sister, Denise, Mathilde Halse, My Larsen and Jasmin Lander.

Mikkel Krause has been given the nod to lead the men’s rink that also features Mads Nørregaard Rasmussen, Henrik Holtermann, Kasper Wiksten and Tobias Thune after they secured the final curling place at last month's qualifier.

With COVID-19 cases rising across the world due to the emergence of the Omicron variant, question marks have been raised over the staging of the Winter Olympics.

But Natorp said he had been reassured by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that the Games will be held from February 4 to 20 as planned.

"There are no indications that we are not going to the Winter Olympics," Natorp told Danish television network TV 2.

"The IOC is very aware that a secure corona bubble is being created around the athletes, and we are leaning towards the IOC.

Madeleine Dupont will skip Denmark's women's team at Beijing 2022 ©Getty Images
Madeleine Dupont will skip Denmark's women's team at Beijing 2022 ©Getty Images

"If the IOC says that the Olympics will be held, then Denmark will also participate.

"We are in the process of our preparations for full pressure, and there is nothing to suggest that the Winter Olympics cannot be held."

Rigorous COVID-19 countermeasures are set to be implemented at Beijing 2022, with anyone attending the Games existing in a "closed-loop management" for the duration of the event.

"We are confident of being in a bubble, and I am sure that the Chinese organisers are very careful," added Natorp.

Denmark’s first and only medal came in curling at Nagano 1998 when the women’s team claimed silver, losing to Canada in the final.

Mikkel Sansone Øhrgaard, Denmark’s Chef de Mission, said it was "surprising" to name both a men’s and women’s curling team for Beijing 2022.

"We are guaranteed a minimum of 18 curling matches, which the Danes can follow on the screens from Denmark, and then we naturally hope in our quiet minds for curling fever a la Nagano in 1998, where a lot of Danes got up at night to follow the Danish curling players," said Øhrgaard.

The women’s and men’s curling tournaments are scheduled to be held at the Ice Cube from February 2 to 20.