Seoul, May 30, 2016 – The PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) announced that it will participate in the movement for Tobacco Free Sports, by banning advertisement of tobacco and related items at venues, restricting smoking at competition venues and Olympic Villages, and protect spectators from second-hand smoke exposure.

PyeongChang 2018 joins the Tobacco Free Sports initiative led by the World Health Organization(WHO), in line with the World No Tobacco Day recognized by the WHO each year on May 31.

Tobacco Free Sports is WHO’s campaign to clean sports of all forms of tobacco — tobacco consumption, exposure to second-hand smoke, tobacco advertising, promotion and marketing, to advocate the values of healthy living and prevent people everywhere from the harms and diseases caused by tobacco.

The WHO and International Olympic Committee (IOC) first joined hands for Tobacco Free Sports at the 1988 Calgary Winter Games, and Korea also hosted the 1988 Seoul Summer Games under the campaign.

POCOG President LEE Hee-beom promised, “Joining the Tobacco Free initiative, PyeongChang 2018 will create a cleaner, healthier, and more enjoyable atmosphere for all athletes and spectators during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”