The governing body had established a Risk Committee in December to assess the situation regarding the event.

The Risk Committee was set up amid protests in Belarus, which began after the controversial re-election Alexander Lukashenko as the country’s President last August - in an election widely dismissed as neither free or fair.

The situation in Belarus has deteriorated further following the arrest of journalist Roman Protasevich last month.

Belarus dispatched a fighter jet to force a flight from Greece to Lithuania, which Protasevich was on with his girlfriend, to land in Minsk, under the guise of a bomb threat.

Protasevich and his partner, Sofia Sapega, were arrested when the Ryanair plane landed.

A series of sanctions were introduced by the European Union and other organisations, who condemned the incident.

World Athletics' Council has now decided to move the World Race Walking Team Championships out of Belarus.

"The Council decision comes as a result of a report prepared by the World Athletics Risk Committee, which concluded that uncertainties around diplomatic relations and international travel restrictions with regard to Belarus would impact significantly on the staging of the championships in Minsk next year," a World Athletics statement read.

"World Athletics remains confident in the local organising committee and the Belarus Athletics Federation which have worked hard and well to deliver this event, despite the challenges created by the pandemic, and regrets that circumstances beyond their control have led to this decision.

"The priority now is to finalise another host for the event in April 2022, so that the athletes continue to have this important competitive opportunity."

World Athletics says it is negotiating with alternative host cities for the event.

An announcement is expected by the next World Athletics Council meeting on July 28 and 29.

The Championships, founded in 1961 and normally held every other year, were initially due to take place in 2020.

The event was postponed until 2022 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Minsk was awarded the event back in 2017.

Unrest in Belarus led to the International Ice Hockey Federation stripping Belarus of co-hosting rights for its men's World Championship earlier this year, citing "growing safety and security concerns related to both the rising political unrest and COVID-19".

The International Modern Pentathlon Union moved its World Championships from Minsk to Egyptian capital Cairo, while the International Biathlon Union has removed Belarus from the World Cup circuit.

The European Cycling Union removed the Elite Track European Championships from Belarus last month, following the detention of Protasevich.