Beijing to offer Olympic tickets to 'selected' spectators because of pandemic

9:19 AM

The Beijing Olympics will only allow a limited number of spectators because of the coronaviruses.

Beijing had already made it clear that fans from outside the country would not be allowed at the events, and had not offered tickets to the general public.

The Winter Games would have few onlookers at the venues under the more strict conditions imposed during last year's Summer Olympics in Tokyo, according to the announcement posted on the organizing committee's website on Monday.

China has largely avoided major virus outbreaks with a regimen of lockdowns, mass testing for COVID-19 and travel restrictions, although it continues to fight surge in several cities, including the port of Tianjin about an hour from Beijing. The capital confirmed over the weekend that a woman has contracted the omicron variant of the virus and has tested more than 13,000 people for it.

The organizing committee said its measures were intended to create a pleasant environment for the holding of the Games.

The original plan of giving tickets to the general public has been changed to allow spectators from selected groups.