Athens, Mar 16 (IANS): Spectators will not be allowed inside the historic Panathenaic stadium on Thursday during the Olympic flame handover ceremony for Tokyo 2020, the Greek Olympic Committee said on Monday.

The ceremony will take place in the presence of Greece President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and a small delegation of the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, said the Hellenic Olympic Committee. "The Panathenaic Stadium will be closed to the public," it said.

It was earlier announced that the Greek leg of the Olympic torch relay was cancelled. The move comes in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to a halt to most sporting events worldwide.

"Tokyo 2020 has been informed that the Greek leg of the Olympic Torch Relay has been cancelled. However, we have been also informed that the Hellenic Olympic Committee has agreed to carry out the handover ceremony as planned on March 19, although there will be no public in attendance," the organising committee of the Olympics said in a statement.