Beijing, Jan. 18 (BNA): The organizing committee said Monday that tickets for the Winter Olympics scheduled to start on Feb. 4 will be distributed to “target” groups of people and will not be sold to the general public. The latest setback to gaming caused by COVID-19.
Organizers said in September there would be no international spectators at the Games, under COVID-19 prevention policies that closed China’s borders to international travelers.
She cited the “serious and complex” situation of the COVID-19 virus and the need to protect the safety of Olympic staff and spectators in Monday’s announcement, Reuters reported.
The commission said domestic spectators who receive tickets must adhere to strict COVID-19 prevention measures before, during and after attending Olympic events. It did not give further details or specify further how the tickets will be distributed.
China, which has largely managed to curb domestic COVID-19 infections, is striving to prevent scattered outbreaks of the highly contagious Omicron variant completely from spreading as the busy Lunar New Year travel period begins.
The Olympics, to be held in the Chinese capital and neighboring Hebei Province, will be held in a “closed loop” that will keep athletes and other Games personnel separate from the general Chinese. Most participants will arrive on private jets.
Last month, the North American National Hockey League said its players would not take part in the Olympic tournament in Beijing due to COVID-19 disruption to the league’s schedule.
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