It’s too cold at the Winter Olympics!

ATHLETES have been advised to skip the Winter Olympics opening ceremony over health fears caused by the deep freeze gripping Pyeongchang.

It is expected to be the coldest Games since Lillehammer in 1994, with temperatures currently beneath freezing in the daytime and dropping as low as -21 Celsius at night.

With the three-hour ceremony at the roofless Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium not due to start until 8pm local time, there are growing concerns over the health of the 35,000 fans and athletes attending. Some team bosses have taken the step of advising their athletes not to turn up if they are due to compete within 48 hours.

Organisers, meanwhile, admitted yesterday that some supporters have even handed back their tickets, which comes on the back of Saturday’s rehearsal when the cold was so severe that audiences walked out halfway through. ‘Some have cancelled their ticket for the opening ceremony,’ said Pyeongchang 2018 president Lee Hee-beom, who confirmed they would be distributing hot packs, seatwarmers, blankets and hats in a bid to tackle the freeze.

There have also been concerns that strong winds could wreak havoc with the opening events, with ski jumping qualification scheduled for Thursday. Wind screens are being added to the venue. Lee added: ‘We are now installing wind screens at the venue. Despite our efforts and if there is a strong wind, the event can be delayed but the decision won’t be made by me, it will be made by IOC and the federation.’

The issues comes at a time when organisers are desperately attempting to contain a norovirus outbreak, having witnessed the problems it caused at the World Athletics Championships in London last August.

Meanwhile, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s athlete committee has said the decision to clear 28 Russian athletes of doping at the Sochi 2014 Games is ‘a massive setback for clean sport’.

The committee, which is chaired by Canadian cross-country skier Beckie Scott, condemned the ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, expressing ‘profound disappointment and dismay’.

It said: ‘‘We share the distress, uncertainty and frustration expressed by many athletes on the news of this ruling and believe this decision to be a massive setback for clean sport.’

-21 Temperatures have fallen to -21 Celsius in Pyeongchang ahead of the Winter Olympics