107th IOC Session - LA84 Foundation

274
Use of the Combined Card
as a Visa
With its visa function, the Combined Card
was extremely convenient for those countries
and regions whose citizens normally require
visas to enter Japan. For the two NOCs from
areas not in possession of a passport recognized
by the Japanese government, i.e. the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea and Chinese Taipei,
NAOC worked with the Japanese government
to issue Combined Cards with a special stamp
which functioned as official travel documents
for delegations to enter Japan.
Validation, Issuance and
Re-issuance of Combined Cards
The most significant difference between the
former accreditation system and the new
Combined Card was the validation procedure.
The Card distributed to participants in advance
did not allow access to Olympic venues until it
was validated. The validation process entailed
checking the identity of the bearer against a
passport, driving license, or other identification
document, and affixing a validation seal to each
card before sealing it in a tamper-proof card
case. At the same time, the computer system
was updated with the information that the participant’s
card had been validated.
The validation procedure took as little as 60
seconds and reduced waiting time considerably
compared to previous accreditation systems that
required taking photographs and printing out the
card. Card issuance and re-issuance, meanwhile,
took only about 5 minutes. So that participants
could proceed straight to their accommodations
after arrival in Japan, validation counters were
set up at the New Tokyo International Airport
(6,479 people validated) and the Kansai
International Airport (738 people validated)
from January 24 right through the Games. In
cases where validation could not be carried out
at the airport, or where individuals did not have
their card, validation / issuance was carried out
in Nagano at the Main Accreditation Centre
(MAC) or other accreditation centres.
Most of the staff and volunteers for the
Games had their accreditation cards validated
during training sessions held just prior to the
Games.