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Ongoing uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has seen World Athletics that its World Athletics Indoor Championships have been postponed for a second time and will now be held in 2023.

Originally due to have been held in the Chinese city of Nanjing from 13th to 15th March this year, the event was an early casualty of the Coronavirus, and in January was postponed to 19th to 21st March 2021.

However, expressing “regret” World Athletics announced overnight that the decision to postpone the event for a second time was made in conjunction with organisers as a result of the global health situation.

World Athletics said that it had been liaising with the local organising committee and the Chinese Athletics Association to evaluate the possibility of staging the event next year. It was ultimately decided that there is still “significant uncertainty” about the state of the pandemic during the early part of 2021 and the decision has been made to postpone the competition.

In a statement, World Athletics advised “for the safety of our athletes and technical officials, we must duly consider the risks in bringing a large group of people to attend the event under the pandemic situation and fully respect and carry out the pandemic prevention policy of the host country.

“The indoor season for athletics falls within a narrow calendar window (up to the end of March) so it is not possible to extend the event to later in the year.”

Usually held every two years, the Championships will be held in the Serbian capital of Belgrade next year.

The event’s second postponement represent the serious impact of the pandemic has been on sport, particularly in Asia.

Nonetheless, World Athletics added “despite this postponement, our athletes will still have substantial competitive opportunities available in the early part of 2021 through the World Indoor Tour which comprises 26 meetings spread across 12 countries in Europe and North America.

"The World Indoor Tour runs from the end of January to the end of February 2021 and is organised across three different tiers of competition - gold, silver and bronze."

Nanjing’s edition of the World Athletics Indoor Championships will be held in the city’s ‘Cube’ arena, which forms part of the city’s Youth Olympic Sports Park.

Image: The World Athletics Indoor Championships in the Chinese city of Nanjing have been postponed for a second time. Credit: World Athletics.

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