Modifications are being made in an attempt to improve the sport's chances of being included in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and beyond.

The twintip racing class has been selected as equipment for the kiteboarding events at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires.

In a bid to ensure a level playing field, while maintaining the principle of "bring your own equipment", the class rules now limit the equipment to be used at the YOG and its qualifier events to one registered series production hull and four registered series production leading edge inflatable (LEI) kites.

The formula kite class will select one hydrofoil model and one kite model at the end of this year from the list of registered equipment.

This selected equipment will be the only equipment to be used in such events, while all other class events remain open for any registered equipment.

"This provides MNAs (Member National Authorities) with planning security for the equipment, provides a level playing field for the athletes and avoids an arms race," the IKA said in a statement.

"A new set of equipment will be chosen under the same criteria (among others, that the equipment must be used by a top-10-competitor) every four years which ensures guaranteed equipment evolution and showcasing kiteboarding always on high performance equipment."

The 2017 equipment registration scheme is set to be provided to any interested manufacturer next month.

The registration deadline for formula kite equipment is May 1, while the registration deadline for twintip racing equipment is September 1.

Also approved at the AGM was a re-draft of the constitution, which introduces an Athletes Commission for both racing and expression disciplines, with a seat on the General Assembly.

This allows for submission making and voting rights, and a separation between elected Executive Committee and appointed class management.

Kiteboarding - an extreme sport which combines wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, Paragliding and gymnastics - falls under the jurisdiction of World Sailing.

In November, World Sailing announced that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been signed with the IKA and the Global Kitesports Association to achieve a new governance structure for the discipline.

The governing body is seeking to protect the rights of all kiteboarding stakeholders by ensuring that events take place within the structure of the rules, while ensuring athletes are protected.