Next year's Winter Olympics in Beijing will be held without spectators from overseas with tickets restricted to fans living in China because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the International Olympic Committee said Wednesday.

The IOC said only fully vaccinated participants would be exempt from a 21-day quarantine. Athletes who can provide a "justified medical exemption" will have their cases considered.

All attendees will enter a strict bubble upon arrival that covers Games-related areas and stadiums as well as accommodation, catering and the opening and closing ceremonies.

The Olympic flag waves at the Aomi Urban Sports Park ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in on July 22, 2021
The Olympic flag waves at the Aomi Urban Sports Park ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in on July 22, 2021 AFP / Andrej ISAKOVIC

The decisions, announced by the IOC but taken by Chinese organisers, are a foretaste of a package of measures to be released in October designed to prevent the Games from turning into a source of contamination.

Spectators were banned from almost all venues at the Tokyo 2020 Games after it was delayed a year by the global health crisis.

All domestic and international Games participants and workforce in the bubble, known as the "closed-loop management system", will be tested daily.

The 2022 Beijing Olympics is scheduled for February 4-20.

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