26 Jan 2022 – During the victory ceremonies of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, athletes will temporarily not need to wear masks. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Beijing 2022 Games organisers have confirmed that athletes on the podium will be allowed to remove them when being awarded their medals.

Aligned with the requirements of the Beijing 2022 Playbooks and scientific advice, the victory ceremony protocol has been adapted to allow athletes to share their emotions with the world during this unique experience in their sporting career, while also helping media to fully capture the moment.

The scenario for the victory ceremony photo opportunity is now the following:

1. Athletes wear their mask from the start of the Victory Ceremony until they reach their position behind the podium.
2. While still behind the podium, athletes are invited by a visual sign to take off their mask.
3. Athletes are awarded their medal and gift or mascot without their mask.
4. After completion of the anthem for a Victory Ceremony or final sentence of the script for a Venue Ceremony, while still on the podium, the athletes are invited, by a visual sign, to put back their mask before either a group photo on the gold podium or before stepping down from the podium or moving away from their position.
5. After the Ceremony, athletes may remove their mask to take individual or team photos maintaining social distances from media and other medalists/teams as specified in the Playbook.

Support material illustrating the new protocol including briefing posters for athletes and presenters as well as visuals specifically explaining the mask on/ mask off policy has been developed and shared with all involved in the staging of the victory ceremonies.