Winter Olympics – China has announced that the torch relay will be confined to closed venues due to the surging Covid-19 cases.
“This torch relay will always prioritize safety,” Yang Haibin, an official from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports told a briefing.
“Taking into account factors such as epidemic prevention … The torch relay and ceremonial activities will be arranged in safe and controllable closed venues.”
The torch relay is scheduled to involve 1200 torchbearers and is set to begin on 2nd February and will end two days later. The torch relay will travel to Hebei province before coming to the capital of China, Beijing.
Chinese city Beijing will be creating history as it will become the first city to host summer and winter games.
Beijing is on high alert after small outbreaks have been observed in different parts of China and the authorities have started to procure stringent restrictions and testing to curtail the new outbreak of the coronavirus.
The officials have announced that it is mandatory for all the torchbearers to be completely vaccinated and will be tested for Covid-19. Their health will be closely monitored 14 days prior to the relay.
The audience is also restricted and only a few people will be allowed to watch the torch relay in the closed venues.
Preparations for the Winter Olympics were vastly disrupted because of Covid-19 along with the boycott of countries over the human rights record, especially the United States of America.
China called this diplomatic boycott a betrayal of Olympic principles and denial of rights abuses.
Winter Olympics are scheduled to be staged from 4th February to 20th February in Beijing and Zhangjiakou inside closed proximity in order to keep the Olympics participants separated from the public.
The event will be orchestrated without spectators.
