[gtranslate]
News

China won’t be selling tickets to the Beijing Winter Olympics

Tickets to the Winter Olympics will not be sold to members of the public due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The organizers have made it clear that they will invite certain groups of spectators to attend the games in person.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics organising committee released a statement saying: “The organisers expect that these spectators will strictly abide by the COVID-19 countermeasures before, during and after each event as pre-conditions for the safe and sound delivery of the Games,”

Credit: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

The team had previously said they would allow ticket sales to members of the public living in mainland China who met COVID requirements but unfortunately with the Omicron outbreak, the rules had to change.

This year’s Olympics have already sparked a lot of debate, with Joe Biden’s administration imposing a diplomatic boycott due to China facing intense criticism for its human rights record.

The move to reduce spectators isn’t that unusual though, considering fans weren’t allowed in the stands during the summer Olympics in Tokyo last year.

As for now, no Tom, Dick or Harry’s will be able to get tickets to the sporting event due to the “grave and complicated situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Interestingly enough, with all of the Djokovic hubbub, the winter games won’t require athletes to be vaccinated against COVID-19, however, those who are unvaccinated will have to quarantine for 21 days when they arrive in Beijing.

Apparently, there are a few other policies in place to prevent the spread throughout the competition including having a closed-loop system that dictates where Olympians are permitted and isolates them from China’s general public.

The winter Olympic Games will kick off on February 4.