The Tokyo 2020 Olympics could yet be cancelled, just a day before the opening event.
As Sky Sports News reports, the head of the Olympics organising committee, Toshiro Muto, has declined to rule out a last-minute cancellation of the Games, as coronavirus cases among athletes continue to rise.
When asked if the Games, which begin on Wednesday before the official opening ceremony on Friday, could yet be cancelled, Muto said he would "continue discussions if there is a spike in cases".
READ MORE: First coronavirus case confirmed at Tokyo's Olympic Village
He said: "We can't predict what will happen with the number of coronavirus cases. So we will continue discussions if there is a spike in cases.
"We have agreed that based on the coronavirus situation, we will convene five-party talks again. At this point, the coronavirus cases may rise or fall, so we will think about what we should do when the situation arises."
Nine more people in the Olympic bubble have tested positive in the last day, meaning the total number of positive Covid-19 cases is now at 67.
The Olympics were due to be held last summer, before being pushed to this year due to coronavirus. It was hoped fans would be able to attend the Games in limited numbers this year, but those hopes were dashed earlier this month when it was decided the risk was too high and that the event would be held entirely behind closed doors.
Assuming they don't get cancelled, the Olympic Games are set to begin in the early hours of Wednesday, UK time. We have an explainer article about the time difference between Japan and the UK, if you're trying to get your head around the schedule.
Get the best stories about the things you love most curated by us and delivered to your inbox every day. Choose what you love here
