Japan to decide on Olympic torch relay format next week as virus fears grow

FILE PHOTO: A couple wearing protective face masks, following an outbreak of the coronavirus, walk past the big Omega One-Year Countdown clock for the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic outside of Tokyo Station in Tokyo, Japan, February 27, 2020. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo 2020 Olympics organisers said on Friday they will make a call next week on how they plan to hold the ceremonial torch relay amid growing worries the coronavirus could scale back or even cancel scheduled events at the Games.

The chief executive of the committee, Toshiro Muto, has said it would consider cutting back the relay to limit the spread of the coronavirus, but no details have yet been made public.