Emmert made the comments as the NCAA Sport Science Institute released the third instalment of guidelines for the return to sport. 

The guidelines are designed to inform schools in responding appropriately based on their specific circumstances and in the best interest of returning college athletes’ health and well-being.  

Among the recommendations include daily self-health checks, appropriate use of face coverings and social distancing during training and competition, and testing strategies for all athletics activities.

Despite the guidelines, Emmert suggested that college sport would still not be able to resume in the autumn.

The United States is the country worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic, reporting more than 3.7 million cases and 141,000 deaths. 

"When we made the extremely difficult decision to cancel last spring’s Championships it was because there was simply no way to conduct them safely," said Emmert. 

"This document lays out the advice of health care professionals as to how to resume college sports if we can achieve an environment where COVID-19 rates are manageable. 

"Today, sadly, the data points in the wrong direction. 

"If there is to be college sports in the fall, we need to get a much better handle on the pandemic."

The recommendations were developed in collaboration with the NCAA COVID-19 advisory panel, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine COVID-19 working group, Autonomy-5 Medical advisory group, and the National Medical Association.

Recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were also taken into account. 

"Any recommendation on a pathway towards a safe return to sport will depend on the national trajectory of COVID-19 spread," said Brian Hainline, NCAA chief medical officer. 

"The idea of sport resocialisation is predicated on a scenario of reduced or flattened infection rates."