Greece cancels Olympic torch relay over coronavirus fears

Olympics - Torch relay of the Olympic flame for Tokyo 2020 - Sparta, Greece - March 13, 2020 US actor Gerard Butler takes part in the Olympic flame torch relay for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics REUTERS/Vassilis Psomas

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's Olympic Committee said it had cancelled the remainder of the Olympic Torch relay through the country on Friday to avoid attracting crowds that could raise the risk of coronavirus contagion.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics torch relay got under way on Thursday when the flame was lit by the rays of the sun in ancient Olympia in a ceremony that was scaled down in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.