Mask policy clarified amid podium confusion China Daily | Updated: 2021-07-26 09:18 Share
Australia s 4x100m freestyle swimming team－(from left) Bronte Campbell, Meg Harris, Emma Mckeon and Cate Campbell－pose mask-less on the podium with their gold medals after setting a world record in Sunday s final at the Tokyo Olympics. [Photo/Agencies]
TOKYO－Athletes must wear masks at all Tokyo Olympic Games venues, including medal ceremonies, the International Olympic Committee said on Sunday, but under a new policy they are briefly allowed to remove them on the podium for a photo opportunity.
Masks are mandatory across all venues, both inside and outside, for all athletes, staff and media, as part of Games organizers strict measures to combat the coronavirus.
July 26, 2021
published at 1:40 AMReuters
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Basketball - Men - Group A - Iran v Czech Republic - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - July 25, 2021. Staff member wearing a protective face mask.
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TOKYO, July 25 - Athletes must wear masks at all Tokyo Olympic Games venues, including medal ceremonies, the International Olympic Committee said on Sunday (July 25), but under a new policy they are briefly allowed to remove them on the podium for a photo opportunity.
Masks are mandatory across all venues, both inside and outside, for all athletes, staff and media, as part of Games organisers strict measures to combat the coronavirus.
Olympics-Masks at Tokyo medal ceremonies a must to have - IOC nationalpost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nationalpost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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25 July, 2021, 6:15 pm
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Swimming - Men s 400m Individual Medley - Medal Ceremony - Tokyo Aquatics Centre - Tokyo, Japan - July 25, 2021. Gold medalist Chase Kalisz of the United States, silver medalist Jay Litherland of the United States and bronze medalist Brendon Smith of Australia pose on the podium REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Sunday that masks are a “must to have” at Tokyo medal ceremonies after swimmers were seen taking off masks on the medal podium and hugging other competitors in violation of COVID-19 rules.
Masks are mandatory across all Olympic venues, both inside and outside for all athletes, staff and media, as part of Games organisers’ strict measures to combat the coronavirus.
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“These instructions were in line with a new policy which in the process of being communicated to all.”
“It allows for a socially distanced photo opportunity for a maximum of 30 seconds on the podium.”
Team Australia also confirmed their athletes had done nothing wrong.
“Our athletes were simply following the direction of the official at the podium, who holds up a sign saying masks off briefly for the photographs,” a Team Australia official said.
The Tokyo Olympics are held mostly without spectators as the capital has seen a rise in daily COVID-19 cases in recent weeks.
All 12 athletes from Australia, Canada and the United States on the podium for the women’s 4X100 freestyle relay ceremony were mask-less, smiling to photographers.