- Date
- 28 Apr 2016
- Tags
- RIO 2016 , IOC News , Olympic Torch Relay
Rio 2016: Watch the official handover of the Olympic flame
On 27 April, the Olympic flame took an important step closer to its final destination in Rio de Janeiro, when it completed the Greek leg of its journey, with the official handover to the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, precisely 100 days before the Opening Ceremony.
Attending the handover ceremony, which took place at the Panathenaic Stadium, the host venue of the inaugural Modern Olympic Games in 1896, were Carlos Nuzman, President of the Olympic Games Rio 2016 Organising Committee, and Spyros Capralos, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee. Nuzman expressed his delight at being able to witness this important milestone in the company of his Greek colleague.
The shift in focus from the ancient home of the Games to the latest host country was mirrored by the transition from Ancient Greek priestesses and traditional dancers who ushered the flame into the stadium, to samba musicians and dancers, who took centre stage after the handover was completed.
After leaving Greece, the Olympic flame set off on its journey to Brazil, via a brief stopover in Switzerland, where it was due to visit the United Nations headquarters in Geneva and the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
