The Championships will be staged between March 11 and 15, marking the first time Para biathlon and cross-country skiing have not been part of the same Championships since 1990.

This is part of a move to make the competitions more similar to the able-bodied sporting calendar, where the disciplines have their own calendars, as well as to create more opportunities and exposure for Para biathletes.

Dimitrije Lazarovski, head of World Para Snow Sports, said: “The Östersund 2020 World Para Biathlon Championships represents an important milestone in the development of the sport.

"It is the result of an intense work from World Para Nordic Skiing, together with our Sport Technical Committee, athletes and membership.

"Östersund is the ideal host for the competition as it has a long history of hosting major Nordic skiing events.”

Östersund 2020 will not impact the upcoming World Championships as the Para biathlon events are confirmed in the programme of the Lillehammer 2021 and the Åre-Ostersund 2023 World Para Snow Sports Championships.

Östersund is also playing an important role in the Stockholm-Åre bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics, as the nearest major city to the Åre resort which would host the skiing and snowboarding events.

Prince George, Canada, hosted the last edition of the Para Nordic Skiing Championships in February.

Ukraine topped the Para biathlon medal standings with seven gold, nine silver and eight bronze medals followed by United States and Germany.