MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Athletes are being encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the Tokyo Olympics but it will not be compulsory, IOC Vice-President John Coates said on Thursday.
"Not compulsory, we can’t do that,” Coates, head of the IOC’s Coordination Commission for the Tokyo Games, told reporters in Brisbane.
"But it is certainly being encouraged and the IOC has an agreement with COVAX where it’s helping to facilitate the distribution of vaccines.”
COVAX is the World Health Organization’s global vaccine-sharing scheme.
IOC President Thomas Bach said last month it was up to national Olympic committees to coordinate with their governments over access to vaccines but he was not in favor of athletes "jumping the queue”.