Greek organisers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic flame lighting ceremony say they've taken extra measures to avoid the coronavirus spreading.
Olympics Games torch relay organisers take measures against coronavirus
SHOWS: ATHENS, GREECE (FEBRUARY 24, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.
(SOUNDBITE) (Greek) CHAIRMAN OF OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY, THANASIS VASSILIADIS, SAYING: "We are in complete cooperation with the Health Ministry, and I think from our side, I assure everyone we will do all that is possible so that we do not have any problem.
We cannot prevent it, we cannot be sure of anything, but I think that to take measures is in the right direction and we are ready to do that." 2.
WHITE FLASH 3.
(SOUNDBITE) (Greek) HELLENIC OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PRESIDENT, SPYROS CAPRALOS, SAYING: "A Greek health risk management company is preparing an operational plan, the head is the same person who was in charge of health issues at the 2004 Olympics, so that we can have an operational plan for whatever happens health wise, during the flame lighting, the torch relay, and the torch handover, on Greek soil." 4.
WHITE FLASH 5.
(SOUNDBITE) (Greek) ACTOR, XANTHI GEORGIOU, WHO WILL PLAY THE HIGH PRIESTESS AND WHO WILL LIGHT THE TORCH AT ANCIENT OLYMPIA, SAYING: "Naturally, my feelings at the moment are - there is stress, creative stress, the agony, the desire, for everything to go well, but there is also a calm inside of me that says everything will go well." STORY: Greek organisers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic flame lighting ceremony in ancient Olympia said on Monday (February 24) they have taken extra measures to avoid the coronavirus' spread during the flame lighting and torch relay in Greece.
The Olympic flame will be lit at the archaeological site in Olympia, the birthplace of the ancient Games, on March 12, before a seven-day relay to 31 towns and cities across Greece.
It will then be handed over to Japan on March 19 at a ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens.
It will then go on a relay around Japan ending with the games' opening ceremony in Tokyo on July 24.