Winter Olympics 2022: IOC says athletes who test positive must produce two negative tests to be eligible to compete

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has created a 'closed loop' for all stakeholders, including athletes, competing at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

IOC Olympic Games Operations Director Pierre Ducrey, in a press conference from Beijing, said the 'closed loop' is extremely safe and cut-off from the outside world. Emphasizing on COVID-19 testing protocols, Ducrey said everyone in the 'closed loop' will have to undergo PCR tests on a daily basis.

---

Read: MOC approves Indian Alpine Skier Arif Khan's inclusion in TOPS

---

Ducrey added that athletes who test positive for the virus will have to produce two negative PCR reports with a 24-hour time span difference between the two to be eligible to compete.

---

Winter Olympics closed loop completely safe: IOC

Speaking at the virtual press conference, Ducrey threw more light on the 'closed loop.'

"We are in a closed loop which is completely closed off from the world. The loop is very safe and is a place that is very difficult to compare to anywhere in the world because we have a fully vaccinated and often booster population which is being tested daily with a PCR," he said.

Close to 1,000 people, including volunteers, have entered the closed loop so far. Stressing on the fact that everyone who is present in the loop is completely vaccinated, a pre-requisite to enter the loop, Ducrey said:

"We are in a place that is safe and the behavior of the people is very well understood and applied. When it comes to an outbreak in China, it is called a closed loop for that very reason. It means that there will be no contact between people outside and inside the loop."

He added:

"Should there be any outbreaks and now they are happening in different prefectures we are very much protected inside the loop for the very reason that there cannot be direct contact between the two entities."

The IOC is confident of managing the daily testing load. Ducrey's team said they have an accredited testing lab capable of testing large numbers in a short span of time on a daily basis.

Ducrey added that no decision has been made with respect to fans attending the Winter Olympics. However, he said unvaccinated participants and volunteers will need to undergo a strict three-week quarantine before they can proceed to any venue of the Winter Olympics.

The Winter Olympics will commence on February 4 and will go on till February 20.

---