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Olympic medalists get new right to pose for mask-less photos

Gold medal winner Anna Kiesenhofer of Austria, center, poses with silver medalist Annemiek van Vleuten of The Netherlands, left, and bronze medalist Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy, during a medal ceremony after the women's cycling road race at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Oyama, Japan. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

TOKYO (AP) — Athletes who won medals on the opening weekend of the Tokyo Olympics helped earn a victory for others to share in the next two weeks.

The International Olympic Committee agreed to ease its strict pre-Games rule that are designed to help protect against coronavirus infections.


Medalists now have a 30-second photo opportunity after the gold medalist’s national anthem is played to pose without masks but they must stay on their own podium step.