International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound cast some doubt and expressed uncertainty in his belief of whether the 2021 Tokyo Olympics will be held amid rising COVID-19 cases in Japan.
"I can't be certain because the ongoing elephant in the room would be the surges in the virus," Pound said, per the BBC.
COVID-19 cases have spiked in recent weeks in Japan and resulted in new coronavirus protocols in Tokyo. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga ordered a state of emergency until February after 2,447 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Thursday.
Pound is advocating for Olympic athletes to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible ahead of the 2021 games.