FIRST TIME! FANS WON'T BE ALLOWED TO WATCH TOKYO 2020 TORCH LIGHTING CEREMONY

The much awaited, 2020 Summer Olympics is all set to have its opening ceremony on July 24, at Olympic Stadium, Tokyo. The sad news attached to it is- this Tokyo 2020 Olympics torch lighting ceremony will be the first in 35 years to be held without spectators. 

This decision came after organisers introduced tighter measures to protect against the deadly coronavirus. The Olympic torch will be lit in Olympia at a scaled-down ceremony on March 12 before a seven-day relay with a handover ceremony in Greece on March 19. 

According to an ESPN report, Olympic Committee in Greece said spectators would be excluded from both the dress rehearsal and the widely broadcast ceremony.

This is the first time since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics that the ceremony will be held without any spectators. Meanwhile, the ceremony will be held both for summer and winter Games. 

As per a statement in the Greek Olympic Committee, "The lighting ceremony of the Olympic flame will be done without the presence of spectators and only 100 invited and accredited guests. The dress rehearsal on March 11 will be closed to spectators and media."

The number of people inside the stadium will be reduced with only a few dozen representatives of the Tokyo Games. Organisers, will also shut the press centre after the ceremony to avoid the gathering of many people in an indoor area. 

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Olympia has written to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, asking to propose the postponement of the ceremony until May.