BEIJING: Spectators attending a major venue for the Beijing Olympics must be vaccinated but fans could be barred from the arena entirely if the coronavirus worsens in China, state media says.

Unlike the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics, which took place last summer in mostly empty stadiums, organisers of February’s Winter Games have vowed to allow spectators, although only people living in China.

There has been no official announcement about how full venues will be so the rules at the 18,000-capacity National Indoor Stadium — which will host ice hockey — hint at what could lie ahead for the Games.