Olympic chief Thomas Bach on Wednesday said organisers were committed to holding a “successful and safe” Tokyo Games this year, dismissing cancellation talk as “speculation”—but admitted for the first time that fans may not be allowed.

“We’re not losing time or energy on speculation...about whether the Games are taking place,” the IOC president told media in a video conference. “We’re working on how the Games will take place. Our task is to organise Olympic Games, not to cancel Olympic Games... and that is why we will not add fuel to this speculation.”