The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has announced it will require every member of its delegation at the 2022 Beijing Olympics to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
In a policy dated Tuesday and posted on Team USA's web site, the USOPC announced a vaccine mandate for all of its staff members, athletes and contractors beginning Nov. 1. The organization also said the mandate will "extend to all Team USA delegation members or hopefuls for future Games" as of Dec. 1.
"While we were hopeful that we would be lifting our COVID-19 restrictions by the time the flame was extinguished at the Tokyo 2020 Games, the stark reality is that this pandemic is far from over," USOPC chief executive officer Sarah Hirshland wrote in a letter obtained by USA TODAY Sports.