A woman takes a rapid antigen test for Covid-19 while holding a smartphone at a community centre in Beijing on Saturday. (Photo: AFP)
China has withdrawn as the 2023 Asian Cup host due to the coronavirus, football officials said Saturday, with Beijing’s strict zero-Covid strategy dealing another blow to the country’s sporting ambitions.
Authorities in China are pursuing a strategy of stamping out the virus entirely, which includes rapid lockdowns and mass testing, and millions in Shanghai have faced onerous restrictions for over a month.
But the measures — now rare globally, as most countries shift to living with the coronavirus — have made hosting sporting events a major challenge.
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