An airplane sporting Tokyo Games livery yesterday departed Tokyo International Airport bound for Athens to collect the Olympic flame, but there was no delegation from organizers onboard due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tokyo organizers said that they chose not to send the high-level delegation, which was originally to include organizing committee president Yoshiro Mori and Japanese Minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Seiko Hashimoto, to Greece due to the coronavirus.
The coronavirus has brought sport to a standstill worldwide.
Photo: AP
Japan’s ambassador to Greece is to receive the flame at a handover ceremony, organizers said, adding that lower-level Tokyo Games officials who traveled to Greece last week would accompany the flame back to Japan.
About 20 airline and airport staff waved the airplane off with very little fanfare at the airport, which was almost empty as travel restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of the virus have led to widespread flight cancelations.
The Olympic flame is tomorrow to arrive in Japan and be greeted by another low-key ceremony.
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