The Beijing Winter Olympics, which start in less than 200 days, will need spectators to be successful, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said earlier this week, as 96.5 percent of the competitions at the Tokyo Games will take place behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

"We would like to have the international community there," said Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr, who heads the IOC's coordination commission, overseeing preparations for the Beijing Games. 

"We need very successful Games next year in Beijing. We really need that success for the sake of everybody ... for keeping that light of hope really bright and open." 

The Beijing Games, set for February 4 to 20 next year, have yet to launch the ticketing program, delayed due to the pandemic. 

"We need and we want to have spectators," Samaranch Jr told an IOC session in the Japanese capital. "We want to have the opportunity for everybody to enjoy the hospitality and enjoy the great Chinese offers." 

(With input from Reuters)