Olympic athletes to put on own medals at Tokyo ceremonies

TOKYO (AP) — Athletes at the Tokyo Olympics will put their medals around their own necks to protect against spreading the coronavirus.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach says it’s a “very significant change” to traditional medal ceremonies. Bach says medals “will be presented to the athlete on a tray and then the athlete will take the medal him or herself.” Medals will be placed on a tray by a person wearing disinfected gloves.

Medalists and ceremony officials will have to wear masks.

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