Tokyo Olympics 2020 Guidelines: No Group Photos on Podium, Participants to Wear Mask All Times, Confirms IOC
The countdown has begun for the biggest sporting extravaganza on the planet – Tokyo Olympics 2020 is all set to get underway from July 23. With the Covid-19 pandemic wreaking havoc all around the world, this will be first-of-its-kind games where we will witness quite a few changes. While spectators have been banned from watching the action from the stands in Tokyo, the pandemic has forced a twist to medal ceremonies. Athletes, presenters and volunteers will not pose for group photographs and wear masks on the podium during Tokyo Olympics medal ceremonies, the International Olympic Committee said on Thursday.
IOC announced a series of health-safety measures keeping in mind the COVID-19 outbreak. In a first, all the athletes at the Tokyo Olympics will have to put their medals around their necks themselves to protect against spreading the virus, IOC president Thomas Bach confirmed.
“The medals will not be given around the neck,” International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said.
“They will be presented to the athlete on a tray and the athlete will take the medal him or herself.”
Olympic medalists will not be presented with medals by dignitaries as they stand on the podiums during medal ceremonies.
Instead, all the three medals will be presented on a tray to the athletes on the podium and they then have to hang them around their own neck in front of the empty stands. There will also be no handshakes or hugs.
“It will be made sure the person who will put the medal on the tray will do it with disinfected gloves. Presenters and athletes will wear a mask. There will be no handshakes and no hugs during the ceremony,” he added.
That athletes and medal presenters would be required to wear masks was made clear in the guidelines released in June.
According to the new guidelines, additional podium modules will be placed between gold and silver medallists and gold and bronze medallists to allow for social distancing.
“All the presenters will be vaccinated, and there will be only one IOC member and one International Federation representative at each event.”
“A series of changes have been approved in order to respect the Tokyo 2020 health measures, with the aim of making the experience safe for everyone involved while also preserving the essence of this unique moment, when Olympians savour and celebrate the pinnacle of their sports career,” IOC said in a statement.
The IOC said that the athletes, medal presenters and volunteers “will be clearly and thoroughly briefed before the ceremonies on the guidelines they will need to follow.”
Tokyo recorded as many as 1,149 Covid-19 cases on July 14, the most in nearly 6 months. Notably, the Olympics will be held under a state of emergency imposed by the Japanese government earlier this month.
(With Agency Inputs)