Beijing 2022: China will not sell tickets for the Winter Olympics due to covid-19
The organizers of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games announced on Monday that tickets will not be sold to the general public. The decision was made as a result of the complex situation experienced by the outbreak of coronavirus cases around the world. In this way, invitations will only be given to specific groups of people who may be present in the different competitions of the event that will begin on February 4.
In a statement published on the website of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the authorities of the Olympic Games explained that they made this decision with the aim of “guaranteeing the safety of all participants and spectators.” Although there will be no ticket sales to the general public, the organization reserves the right to implement an “adapted program” through which specific groups of people will be invited to attend the sessions of the different disciplines.
“The organizers hope that these spectators will strictly comply with the COVID-19 preventive measures before, during and after each event to help create an absolutely safe environment for the athletes,” they stressed just 48 hours after Beijing state media confirmed the first locally transmitted infection of the highly transmissible variant of the omicron coronavirus.
In September of last year it had already been confirmed that, also due to the complex situation regarding the pandemic, tickets would not be sold to foreign spectators. At that time it had been specified that only Chinese residents who complied with the prevention measures against covid-19 could access the purchase of tickets.
Also at that time, the IOC indicated that only fully vaccinated participants will be exempt from quarantine and a strict bubble will be enabled. The others must observe 21 days of isolation, except for “medical exception justification”.
The Games will be held in a “closed circle” that will keep athletes and Olympic staff separate from the general Chinese public. Most of the participants will arrive on special charter flights.
These policies will be applied in the Winter Olympic Games that will take place from February 4 to 20 and also in the Paralympics, to be held between March 4 and 13. The venues for the competitions will be the cities of Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, and 2,338 athletes will participate in the Olympic Games and 1,040 in the Paralympics.
Fountain: Infobae
