The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees confirmed on Wednesday that vaccination will be mandatory for all potential Team Canada members, a decision made with support. unanimous The Board of Directors and the Board of Athletes of both entities.

The CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee, David Shoemaker, said in a statement that this announcement is in line with the federal government’s decision that all air travelers should be fully vaccinated from October 30, 2021.

More than 95% of Team Canada members at the Tokyo Olympics last summer have been vaccinated, and Shoemaker said no positive cases have been reported among the 840 members of the Canadian delegation.

“We have the same goal in Beijing,” he added. A fully vaccinated team following strict hygiene and physical distancing protocols is the best way to achieve this.

The US Olympic Committee recently announced a similar measure for its athletes.

The Olympics will open on February 4th. The Paralympic Games will follow on March 4.

Our commitment to ensuring the health and safety of every member of the Canadian Paralympic Team is of paramount importance to us.Canadian Paralympic Committee Executive Director Karen O’Neill said.

She added that our efforts to ensure the safety of the team were crowned with success at the Tokyo Olympics, and based on this success, we want to take the next step for Beijing by vaccinating all team members. Full vaccination is the most effective tool at our disposal as we continue to prepare for the Winter Paralympics.

China is also imposing a 21-day quarantine on visitors who have not been adequately vaccinated.