diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/9482-opentelemetry-python-37.yml b/changelogs/fragments/9482-opentelemetry-python-37.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3cc291265f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/9482-opentelemetry-python-37.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - opentelemetry callback plugin - remove code handling Python versions prior to 3.7 (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/9482).
diff --git a/plugins/callback/opentelemetry.py b/plugins/callback/opentelemetry.py
index 6a641f5c3c..b99b34933b 100644
--- a/plugins/callback/opentelemetry.py
+++ b/plugins/callback/opentelemetry.py
@@ -137,9 +137,8 @@ import getpass
 import json
 import os
 import socket
-import sys
-import time
 import uuid
+from time import time_ns
 
 from collections import OrderedDict
 from os.path import basename
@@ -165,14 +164,6 @@ try:
     from opentelemetry.sdk.trace.export.in_memory_span_exporter import (
         InMemorySpanExporter
     )
-    # Support for opentelemetry-api <= 1.12
-    try:
-        from opentelemetry.util._time import _time_ns
-    except ImportError as imp_exc:
-        OTEL_LIBRARY_TIME_NS_ERROR = imp_exc
-    else:
-        OTEL_LIBRARY_TIME_NS_ERROR = None
-
 except ImportError as imp_exc:
     OTEL_LIBRARY_IMPORT_ERROR = imp_exc
     OTEL_LIBRARY_TIME_NS_ERROR = imp_exc
@@ -180,16 +171,6 @@ else:
     OTEL_LIBRARY_IMPORT_ERROR = None
 
 
-if sys.version_info >= (3, 7):
-    time_ns = time.time_ns
-elif not OTEL_LIBRARY_TIME_NS_ERROR:
-    time_ns = _time_ns
-else:
-    def time_ns():
-        # Support versions older than 3.7 with opentelemetry-api > 1.12
-        return int(time.time() * 1e9)
-
-
 class TaskData:
     """
     Data about an individual task.