Tokyo Olympic: Athletes to put on own medals at ceremonies

Athletes at the Tokyo Olympics will put their medals around their own necks to protect against spreading the Corona virus. The very significant change to traditional medal ceremonies in the 339 events was revealed by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. The medals will not be given around the neck, rather they will be presented to the athlete on a tray and then the athlete will take the medal him or herself.  Bach also confirmed that in Tokyo there will be no handshakes and there will be no hugs during the ceremony. Olympic medals are typically presented by an IOC member or a leading official in a sport’s governing body.

The IOC had previously said medalists and ceremony officials would have to wear masks. The Tokyo Olympics open July 23 in a state of emergency and rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in the city. The Olympic approach is different to soccer in Europe where UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has personally hung medals around the necks of players at competition finals in recent weeks.