Leadership / 02.06.18

Coldest Olympics in History? PyeongChang Organizers Break Out the Hats and Blankets

Access Staff

Original article published on the Washington Post (02/06/18) by Chelsea Janes

Spectators at the Winter Olympics' opening ceremonies on Friday night in PyeongChang, South Korea will be offered blankets and hats to protect against cold temperatures and fierce winds. Their kit also will feature hot-packs for sitting on and for hands and feet, as well as a poncho. Olympic organizers also have installed 40 large heaters and 18 shelters at the open-air stadium where the ceremonies will be held, but rehearsals have raised new worries. During a dry run on Feb. 3, security scanning machines stopped working due to the cold, causing some checks to be skipped. In addition, the credit card readers froze up, creating headaches for Visa, an official sponsor of the games. Despite reassurances from the organizing committee that Friday's weather will be warmer than it has been thus far, some attendees are trying to return tickets. Organizers as yet do not foresee the need to adjust the competition schedule on account of the weather. The International Olympic Committee has regulations concerning the maximum wind speeds in which ski jumping can take place, and it has built wind shields around that course to minimize the risk of cancellation.

Read the full story on the Washington Post website.

Tags: Sports , Olympics , News , Stadium