Beijing Winter Olympics to take place without overseas spectators

The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will take place without any overseas fans present, according to a decision made by the Chinese organisers. The decision was announced by the International Olympic Committee yesterday. Attendance at the games will be limited to people living in China, in a bid to mitigate the risks posed by Covid-19. The games are scheduled to take place between February 4 and 20.

In terms of visiting participants, only those who are fully vaccinated will be exempt from 21 days of quarantine, although athletes who can justify not being vaccinated on medical grounds could also have quarantine waived. On arrival, all athletes will be placed in a strict “bubble” environment that will cover all Olympics-related locations, including the stadium, athlete accommodation, and catering venues. They will also have to submit to daily Covid-19 testing, as will domestic athletes and employees in the bubble.

The Bangkok Post reports that the move is a taste of what’s to come, with further Covid-19 prevention measures being announced next month. Fans were banned from nearly every venue at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which was delayed by a year as a result of the pandemic.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post