The Olympic torch relay tour around Greece has been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The flame was lit at a ceremony in Olympia on Thursday, and on Friday visited Sparta, where Hollywood actor Gerard Butler took part in the relay.
“This was the best possible decision in order to contribute to the containment of the virus,” read a Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) statement.
The flame will be handed over to Tokyo 2020 officials as planned on 19 March.
However, the public will not be allowed to attend the ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens.
Tokyo 2020 officials say they still intend to stick to the original itinerary for the flame’s tour of the host nation, which is scheduled to begin on 26 March.
Japan’s Olympics minister has conceded that the Games could be postponed until later in the year if the coronavirus outbreak makes unfeasible their scheduled start on 24 July.
The coronavirus outbreak has caused a raft of postponements of major sports events, with the Premier League joining other top European football leagues in suspending the current campaign.
Next week’s Champions League and Europa League matches have been postponed along with this weekend’s final round of the Six Nations.
In the United States, all major sport has been suspended with the start of the Formula 1 season put back until May.
“This is even more regrettable after the huge success of the relay with big crowds gathering along the route and at the ceremonies,” added the HOC.
Source: BBC
