Bach: Olympic cancellation not on table for next week's meeting

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach told reporters Wednesday that the possibility of cancelling next summer's Olympic Games will not be discussed at next week's meeting with Tokyo organizers.

"The answer to the question about whether cancellation will be discussed, the answer is no," Bach said via Nancy Armour of USA Today.

Bach has said several times that "recent developments with regard to rapid testing and vaccination" give them confidence that Tokyo Olympics can be held safely next summer.

— Nancy Armour (@nrarmour) November 11, 2020

He also said that recent developments with regards to rapid COVID-19 testing and potential vaccination give confidence the Olympics can be held safely next summer.

When asked about possible vaccinations for athletes, Bach said the IOC has been in contact with the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as potential vaccine manufacturers.

Bach says IOC has been in contact with World Health Organization and vaccine manufacturers. But says IOC won't jump the line, that first people to get vaccine must be health care workers, those in high-risk groups and "everybody who is keeping our societies alive."

— Nancy Armour (@nrarmour) November 11, 2020

He added the IOC won't jump the line and that the first people to receive a potential vaccine must be health care workers, those in high-risk groups and "everybody else who is keeping our societies alive."

Bach also said he is "more and more confident" there will be fans in Tokyo but added nothing has been finalized.

"How many and under which conditions, again, depends very much on the future developments," he said.

The Olympics were originally supposed to take place this past summer between July 23 and Aug. 8 before the COVID-19 pandemic pushed it back one year.