Beijing had already stated that fans from outside China would not be allowed to attend the events and had not made tickets available to the public.
Monday’s announcement on the organizing committee’s site confirmed that there would be few people watching the Winter Games, which will take place under stricter conditions than the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
China has managed to avoid major outbreaks of the virus by implementing a strict travel restriction, mass testing for COVID-19, lockdowns and mass testing. However, it is still fighting surges in many cities, such as Tianjin (which is located about an hour away from Beijing). Over the weekend, the capital confirmed that a 26 year-old woman had contracted omicron virus. It has also tested more than 13,000 people to determine if there are any cases of cross-contamination.
The organizing committee stated that its actions were meant to create a “pleasurable environment for the Games.”
The statement stated that tickets were not being offered to general public because of the complicated and difficult work involved in controlling the epidemic and to ensure the safety and health of all those involved in the Games.
