Athletes To Put On Their Own Olympic Medals in Tokyo To Prevent Spread of COVID-19

Athletes To Put On Their Own Olympic Medals in Tokyo , To Prevent Spread of COVID-19.

Athletes To Put On Their Own Olympic Medals in Tokyo , To Prevent Spread of COVID-19.

In previous years, International Olympic Committee members have placed medals around the necks of the Games' champions as the gold medalist's national anthem is played.

This year, the athletes will put the medals around their necks themselves in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The medals will not be given around the neck.

They will be presented to the athlete on a tray and then the athlete will take the medal him or herself, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, via the Associated Press.

It will be made sure that the person who will put the medal on tray will do so only with disinfected gloves so that the athlete can be sure that nobody touched them before, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, via the Associated Press.

The decision comes after Japan banned all Olympic spectators and declared a state of emergency in Tokyo due to an increase in COVID-19 cases.

As less than 20 percent of the Japanese population has been vaccinated, Tokyo has seen a rise in cases every day for the last 25 days.

According to the Associated Press, the country's capital had its highest number of cases in six months — 1,149 — on July 14