The elaborate cauldron lit at the London Olympics opening ceremony has been extinguished while it is relocated to another part of the stadium, AFP confirmed on Monday.

The Olympic cauldron -- which traditionally burns for the entirety of each Games -- was seen unlit within the Olympic Stadium at 11.14pm (2214 GMT) late Sunday.

Jackie Brock-Doyle, director of communications for the London Olympics organisers confirmed to AFP the cauldron had been put out in order to allow it to be moved to a different part of the venue.

"The cauldron has been put out while we move it to another part of the stadium," Brock-Doyle told AFP.

The Olympic flame -- a symbol of the Olympic Games movement -- would be kept burning in a lantern used during the torch relay until the cauldron was relit later on Monday, she added.

The cauldron was positioned in the centre of the Olympic Stadium before being lit by seven young athletes in the climax to last Friday's opening ceremony.

The position of the cauldron -- and the fact that the flame will not be visible from outside the stadium even after it is repositioned -- has attracted criticism.

At most past Olympics, the burning cauldron has been clearly visible from the outside of the main stadium.

People gather around the Olympic Flame after the cauldron in the Olympic Stadium is lit during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, on July 27. The cauldron has been extinguished while it is relocated to another part of the stadium, AFP confirmed on Monday.

【新闻快讯】

当地时间7月27日晚，2012年伦敦奥运会的开幕式在伦敦碗倾情上演，当时奥运会主火炬坐落于“伦敦碗”的正中央。为了向1948年伦敦奥运会致敬，同时也是避免主火炬影响到即将到来的田径赛事，组织者决定将主火炬转移到“伦敦碗”的大钟旁边。不过，据法新社发自伦敦的报道称，在这一工程的实施过程中，主火炬居然熄灭了。

按照正常的逻辑，奥运会主火炬应该在整个赛会期间一直保持点燃的状态。不过法新社言之凿凿的表示，英国当地时间周日晚23：14，伦敦奥运会的主火炬却熄灭了。伦敦奥组委传媒总监布洛克-道伊尔在接受法新社记者采访时表示，“为了将主火炬迁移到‘伦敦碗’的另外一个位置，我们不得不将其熄灭。”

当然，按照道伊尔的说法，圣火其实并未complete熄灭，她对法新社记者说道：“象征着奥林匹克运动的奥运火种，将暂时被保存在火炬传递时曾经使用过的火种盒内。等待迁移工程完工以后，主火炬将会被再次点燃。”

实际上，这并非是本届奥运会主火炬次引来外界非议。在开幕式中，主火炬处于“伦敦碗”的正中央，加之其本身高度有限，因此从“伦敦碗”场外，人们无法看到神圣的主火炬。即便是在此次迁移位置之后，人们依旧无法从场外看见主火炬熊熊燃烧的情景。在过往的绝大多数奥运会中，人们能够从主体育场外轻易的看到主火炬，伦敦主办方的这一设计，招致了外界的一致批评。