The Olympic Torch Relay’s Greece portion was canceled on the second day of its eight-day trek through the nation due to the coronavirus, Greece’s Olympic Committee confirmed Friday.
The Olympic Flame, lit in the Ancient Olympic site of Olympia on Thursday, was carried by, among others, actor Gerard Butler in Sparta on Friday before the suspension. Butler starred as Spartan King Leonidas in the 2006 film “300.”
An unexpectedly large crowd attendance in Sparta despite recommendations to the public not to focus on the ceremony led to the decision to cancel the rest of the program, according to a translation of a Greek statement.