Olympic flame handed over to Russian organizers

Published: October 5, 2013 

Greece Olympics Sochi Flame Protest

Gay activists hold rainbow flags and placards as they protest at the steps of the Acropolis' museum during an event ahead of the handover ceremony of the Olympic Flame, in Athens, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013. A few dozen gay activists peacefully protested at Russia’s restrictive laws against “homosexual propaganda” as the Olympic flame made its way through central Athens ahead of its handover to the organizers of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

KOSTAS TSIRONIS — AP Photo

The Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece — The Olympic flame has been handed to organizers of the Sochi Winter Olympics in a ceremony at the site of the first modern summer games.

The same actress, dressed as a high priestess, who lit the flame in Ancient Olympia last Sunday, lit a torch from a cauldron placed inside Athens' Panathinaiko Stadium. The flame, placed in a lantern, was handed over to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak.

After a seven-day run through Greece, the flame will cover 40,000 miles on Russian soil. The record-setting relay will start on Monday in Moscow and finish in Sochi on Feb. 7, the opening day of the games.

A few dozen activists staged a peaceful protest Saturday against Russia's law banning gay propaganda.

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