Beijing - The organizers of the Olympic torch relay are considering shortening the politically sensitive leg through Tibet because of this month's earthquake in neighbouring Sichuan province, informed sources said Monday in Beijing.

Changes to the route are necessary after the torch relay was halted during three days of national mourning last week for the tens of thousands of victims of the May 12 quake and the postponement of the Sichuan leg of the relay from June to the beginning of August, the sources said.

Originally, the torch was to be carried for three days through Tibet.

The centre organizing the relay would not confirm Monday that the Tibet part of the relay would now take place on June 18 or 19 as a spokeswoman was quoted as saying a day earlier. She said the relay would only take place in Lhasa, Tibet's capital, where demonstrations and rioting against Chinese rule erupted in March.

It only said the route would be "shortened" and "simplified."

Exile Tibetans have condemned the torch run in Tibet, saying it was an effort by China to confirm and solidify its rule over the Himalayan region.

The international legs of the torch relay was dogged by protests against the recent Chinese crackdown in Tibet. (dpa)