Australian Winter Olympics chef de mission Geoff Lipshut has no security or safety concerns for athletes in Beijing next month, with the team not taking any special precautions such as burner phones.
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Lipshut felt the Olympics would be one of "safest places in the world" for athletes.
While Australia joined the United States, Great Britain and several allies in announcing they would not send dignitaries to the Games as a protest against human rights abuses by the Communist Party regime, Lipshut didn't expect any issues for athletes.
"I think our first aerial team went there in 2003 or 2004 and we've been going back every year since and there haven't been any issues," Lipshut said on Sunday.
"During the Olympic Games, I would expect the IOC to have done a lot of work and...the old saying is if you want to be in the safest place in the world, you should be an athlete in the Olympic Games.
"I really think there'll be less risk than normal."
Lipshut said the team were being "careful" and would encourage athletes to access the internet from the village.
Several delegations have urged anyone headed to Beijing to take "burner" phones instead of their personal devices because of concerns their personal information could be compromised.
Aerial skier Danielle Scott didn't feel she need to be overly cautious and wouldn't be taking a replacement device.
"No I don't think I'll be going excessively cautious," Scott said at the team announcement.
"It's just maybe not doing anything financial or you know, risky things that you wouldn't do anywhere around the world."
The surge of Omicron has also played havoc with the National Hockey League citing uncertainty caused by the pandemic to hold back all of its players from the Olympic tournament.
American broadcaster NBC also said it wouldn't send announcing teams to China, citing the same virus concerns.
All athletes, officials and journalists must complete rigorous testing and stay within a "closed loop" that takes in competition venues and accommodation.
Organisers announced that no spectators, including local Chinese, would be at events.
World aerials champion Laura Peel, heading to her second Games, said the last two years when they often competed with no fans had been good preparation.
"It will be different, absolutely, compared to past Olympic Games," Peel said.
"But over the past few years, we've done quite a few competitions without crowds and without those supporters like we used to so I think we're as well prepared as we can be.
"We're all very grateful that there's an Olympic Games going ahead and and it's still going to be special and it's still something amazing to be a part of."
The Australian athletes will start arriving in Beijing this week.
Australian Associated Press
