At the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, the athletes are to use mobile phones provided by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). The athletes should also install the official app “My2022” on these devices and not on their own cell phones, reports the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. The app provided by the organizers is mandatory for participation, as it is used to provide proof of health.
China wants to use the application to prevent the entry of athletes who are infected with the corona virus and to monitor their further status. “My2022” is apparently inspired by the data-hungry Chinese Covid-19 apps, which generate a “health code” using opaque algorithms. Without these, nothing works in China at the moment.
Vaccination certificate and PCR test
According to the instructions of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for participants, they “have to” download the app and enter their health data from two weeks before arrival. “In addition to your health data, you must provide other information such as your travel dates, a vaccination certificate and a negative Covid-19 PCR test result.”
The newspaper “De Volkskrant” had previously reported that the Dutch National Olympic Committee (NOK) was calling on athletes and coaches to leave personal devices such as smartphones and laptops at home. Instead, “clean” devices will be handed out to be destroyed upon return. The German athletes should be allowed to keep their new mobile phones.
fear of espionage
The Dutch NOK expressly referred to the danger of digital espionage by China’s security authorities. A spokesman for the committee explained that the cyber security of the athletes played an important role in the previous risk assessment. China has completely sealed off its internet, which makes the case “a special thing”.
British participants in the competition can also receive new mobile phones if they wish. “We have temporarily made equipment available to those who do not want to take their own equipment with them,” a spokesman for Britain’s NOK told the Guardian. Practical advice has been given to athletes and coaches so that they can decide for themselves whether they want to take advantage of the offer. An IOC spokesman initially did not want to comment on the national procedures.
(vbr)