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 (IOC) 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.

The change is one of many precautions that the IOC is implementing with Tokyo under a state of emergency due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

The IOC also announced last week that no spectators will be allowed into any venues during the Summer Games, including at the opening ceremony.