„They will be presented to the athlete on a tray, and then the athlete will take the medal him or herself.“ The International Olympic Committee President said.<\/b>
\nAthletes will have to put medals around their own necks at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games due to COVID-19 restrictions. International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach made the announcement on Wednesday morning, noting a change to a long-honored tradition. „The medals will not be given around the neck,“ Bach said on a press conference call. „They will be presented to the athlete on a tray, and then the athlete will take the medal him or herself.“ The tray holders will be wearing disinfected gloves to ensure that the medals were not touched by anyone when the athletes receive them, according to Bach. Gold, silver and bronze medals are traditionally presented to the best athletes in the world by an IOC member or a notable figure in the sport. The medals are adorned around the necks of the Olympians while they stand on the podium. Prior to Wednesday’s announcement, the IOC planned on staff wearing masks while presenting the winners with their medals. Handshakes and hugs during the ceremony will also not be allowed, Bach announced. Tokyo is currently in a state of emergency following a rise in COVID-19 cases just weeks before the Olympics are set to take place. The opening ceremony for the Games is set for July 23. This is a breaking story and will be updated as more information becomes available.<\/p>\n