U.S. athletes will have to get their COVID-19 shots if they want a shot to win Gold at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The policy was announced on Wednesday by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Sarah Hirshland, the CEO of the Committee, wrote a letter saying that on Nov. 1, 2021, the USOPC will require staff, athletes, and others utilizing training centers and other USPOC facilities to be vaccinated, The Associated Press reported.
The Team USA website confirmed the updated COVID-19 vaccination requirements, stating that as of Dec. 1, 2021, the mandate will be extended to Team USA delegation members or hopefuls for future games.
“The health and well-being of our Olympic and Paralympic community continues to be a top priority,” the Team USA website says. “This step will increase our ability to create a safe and productive environment for Team USA athletes and staff, and allow us to restore consistency in planning, preparation, and optimal service to athletes.”
Related
If athletes cannot get the vaccine or obtain a religious or medical exemption, they will not be able to participate in the upcoming games.
The International Olympic Committee has encouraged the vaccine since its release this spring. Still, a requirement has not been given, and it was not mandated for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Of the 600 American athletes who qualified for the Tokyo games, 83% were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before the start of the games, the USOPC reported.
It was estimated by the IOC that nearly 85% of all athletes in the Olympic Village had been vaccinated.
Related
Hirshland shared in the letter that the USPOC had been hopeful COVID-19 restrictions would be lifted by the end of the Tokyo Games, the AP reported.
“The stark reality is that this pandemic is far from over,” she wrote. “This step will increase our ability to create a safe and productive environment for Team USA athletes and staff, and allow us to restore consistency in planning, preparation, and service to athletes.”
Athletes will be able to apply for exemptions before the deadline.
