World Athletics president Lord Sebastian Coe believes the Tokyo Olympics could be moved to later in the year, because of the coronavirus outbreak, but says it is too early to make a decision.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has faced increased calls for the Games to be postponed, amid uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
COVID-19 has had a massive impact on the sporting calendar, with many qualification events for the Olympic Games either postponed or cancelled, while some athletes are currently in lockdown and are unable to train.
As it stands, the Games are due to start on July 24 and will finish on August 9.
Coe, who served as chair of the London 2012 Olympic Games, told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 that it was too early to make a call, with the Games still four months away.
"Let's not make a precipitous decision when we don't have to, four months out," said Coe.
"If you had to ease that date, you'd have to ease it. Anything is possible at the moment.
"The temperature in the room with the IOC is nobody is saying we're going to the Games, come what may.
"Over the course of changing events, we may have to be confronted with at some point."
Coe said postponing the Games until 2021 could present problems.
"That seems, on the surface of it, an easy proposition, but member federations actually avoid Olympic years, often to have their world championships."
Earlier this week, IOC Athletes' Commission member and four-time Olympic ice hockey gold medallist Hayley Wickenheiser tweeted that the IOC's insistence on forging ahead was "irresponsible".
Olympic pole vault champion Katerina Stefanidi echoed Wickenheiser's comments, accusing the IOC of leaving athletes "at-risk".
British world champion heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson said she feels "under pressure", after lockdown laws made maintaining her training routine "impossible".
British four-time Olympic rowing champion Matthew Pinsent criticised Bach's comments, calling for the Games to be called off.
"I'm sorry, Mr Bach, but this is tone-deaf," Pinsent tweeted. "The instinct to keep safe is not compatible with athlete training, travel and focus that a looming Olympics demands of athletes, spectators and organisers.
"Keep them safe. Call it off."
Spanish Olympic Committee president Alejandro Blanco told Reuters he preferred this year's Games to be postponed, because his country's athletes were not able to train.
