Facial recognition technology will be used at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics to "streamline the entry of athletes, officials and journalists" to the Games venues, sources close to the organizing committee said, according to KYODO. In "light of concerns about terrorism," the Games' organizers "aim to bolster security and prevent those involved in the 2020 Games from lending or borrowing ID cards." Digital verification will "make it difficult to use stolen or forged cards and likely reduce waiting times." The technology will not be used for spectators, who will be asked to show their tickets and submit to luggage checks just as in the previous Olympics, the sources said. The organizing committee will distribute ID cards bearing facial photos for those involved in the Games (KYODO, 12/24).
GETAWAY PLAN: REUTERS' Steve Keating reported U.S. Ski & Snowboard has emergency evacuation plans in place for athletes, coaches and officials should a "nightmare scenario" unfold during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, crisis response organization Global Rescue CEO Dan Richards said. The organization believes the prospect of such a scenario is "very low" but will be prepared to evacuate the athletes "at a moment's notice" if the tensions between the U.S. and North Korea "escalate into a wider conflict" (REUTERS, 12/27).
PASSING GAS: YONHAP reported the PyeongChang 2018 organizing committee said on Thursday that it will launch a fundraising campaign next month as "part of its efforts to offset carbon emissions from the preparation and operation" of the Games. The committee asked participating athletes, spectators, countries, institutions and organizations to take part in the campaign, which will run from Monday through Feb. 25. According to the committee, the amount of greenhouse gases to be emitted from the staging of the event is estimated at 1.59 million tons (YONHAP, 12/28).
