Asia News: Beijing Olympics Aims For 30% Capacity

Getty Images – Beijing Olympics
Beijing’s iconic “Birds Nest” Olympic Stadium

Despite the Beijing Winter Olympic Games ban on both international and domestic spectators, the organizers have said they hope to have at least 30%  capacity at all venues for events during the Games, according to an announcement from the International Olympic Committee. 

Tickets are not on sale for any events, but organizers are giving away seats to “targeted groups of people,” according to a report by CNA. 

In September, the organizers announced that there would be no international spectators because of COVID-19 prevention measures, and more recently they said that the general public in China would also be prohibited  from attending as the Omicron variant threat emerged. 

However, IOC Executive Director Christophe Dubi said in an interview on the Winter Olympic Games’ website, “Because [capacity] has to be fine-tuned at a venue-by-venue basis, I’d say if we have one person out of three available spots, or one out of two, that would already be a good result. It could also depend on whether it is outdoors or indoors. But the great thing is that we are going to have spectators,” the post continued.  

The Games are to begin Feb. 4, with some events taking place in Yanqing and Chongli.