Speaking at the National Sport Integrity Forum, held virtually this year, Hughes suggested the assumption must be made that a coronavirus vaccine will not be available in time for the postponed Tokyo 2020.

"My advice is, in terms of planning for the Paralympics and Olympics next year in Tokyo, we need to make an assumption that there will not be vaccine," he said.

"And that means it will not be business as usual and it will be a very different looking Olympics from what has been before."

The coronavirus pandemic forced the rescheduling of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to July 23 to August 8, 2021.

They will be followed by the Paralympics from August 24 to September 5. 

There are concerns a lack of vaccine will result in the complete cancellation of the Games, however, with Japan Medical Association President Yoshitake Yokokura one such figure to express these fears. 

Australian Olympic Committee President and Tokyo 2020 Coordination Commission chair John Coates admitted organisers have "real problems" over the postponed Games as countries struggle to control the coronavirus crisis, while International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach acknowledged Tokyo 2020 would be cancelled should it not be held in 2021. 

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the event, Hughes revealed the arrangements the Australian Olympic team were considering for the Games.

"We know that the key underpinning fact contributing to transmission is the number of unnecessary contacts that people have between each other," he said.

"So we need to look at an Olympics that minimises interaction between individuals.

"We may need to look at staggered start times and finish times where individuals go in, do what they need to do to compete and then leave again, leaving a relatively small Australian footprint.

"That is one option.

"We would also need to look at what particular processes the Japanese Government might put in place in terms of quarantine and testing."

Hughes suggested the deciding factor for the successful staging of Tokyo 2020 could be the global transmission rate of coronavirus.

"Really what we need to see over the next few months is how well the rest of the world brings their outbreaks under control," he said.

"Because that certainly will make the whole Olympics and Paralympics much more viable, if we see global transmission rates coming under control over the next four to six months."