The PyeongChang Winter Olympics are on track although organisers are battling the spread of a virus among staff and preparing to deal with a cold snap at Friday’s opening ceremony.
Games chief Lee Hee-beom said on Tuesday preparations for the first winter Olympics in Asia outside Japan were complete with athletes arriving in the South Korean town.
“We are fully operational with many of our athletes and officials here and settling into their life in the villages and training is underway at all venues,” he told a news conference.
But he said about 1200 private security staff have been sidelined with fears of a norovirus among some of them forcing organisers to replace them with military personnel pending medical tests.
The virus is highly contagious and causes vomiting and stomach cramps among other symptoms.
Athletes from several countries were taken ill and some were forced to miss competitions at last year’s world athletics championship in London when the virus was found to have spread through one hotel.
“As a president of POCOG (organising committee), I would like to apologise for this,” Lee said.
“Our disease control centre other related government agencies here are now discussing countermeasures and will come up with proper measures and will be announced soon.”
Lee said this would have no effect on security arrangements at the Games, held about 80 kilometres south of the border to North Korea, with whom South Korea is still technically at war since 1953.
The cold weather, however, could be an issue for organisers with the opening ceremony in the open-air Olympic stadium expected to be freezing.
Temperatures are currently below freezing throughout the day, dropping to as low as minus 21 degrees at night.
Lee said some fans will not attend the opening ceremony despite having bought tickets, while some competitions could be affected.
“Some have cancelled their ticket for the opening ceremony,” Lee said.
“Regarding the potential of the delay due to the weather, the International Olympic Committee and the international federation have strict rules, for example, ski jumping can not take place if there’s a strong wind.
“We are now installing wind screens at the venue. Despite our efforts and if there is a strong wind, the event can be delayed but the decision won’t be made by me, it will be made by IOC and the federation.”
Lee said a special bag with hot packs, seatwarmers, a blanket, a hat and a wind-breaker would be distributed to spectators in an effort to keep them warm at the start of what could turn out to be the coldest winter Olympics in decades.
A North Korean ferry carrying a 140-strong orchestra to perform during the Games arrived on Tuesday, taking advantage of a rare sanctions exemption from Seoul 16 years after its previous visit.
The 9700-tonne Mangyongbong 92 was escorted into the eastern port of Mukho, where throngs of protesters held large photos of the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un, with black crosses drawn through them.
