The variant was first identified in South Africa earlier this month, so it is no surprise that the Championships, which had been due to take place in the country’s capital, have had to be cancelled.

The event, which had been due to start on Friday (December 3) and conclude on Sunday (December 5), was seen as an important build-up event for next year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

"The tournament has been postponed," Vinod Tomar, assistant secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India, told The New Indian Express.

"The organisers have communicated the decision to every participating nation."

India had planned to send 60 wrestlers so they would have been represented in all of the weight categories of the three disciplines that were to be contested in Pretoria - men's freestyle, Greco-Roman and women's.

The first batch of the wrestlers had been expected to leave for South Africa tonight.

The biggest name in the team was Geeta Phogat, winner of the Commonwealth Games gold in the under-55 kilograms category at Delhi 2010 and a World Championship bronze medallist in 2012.

"It's disappointing but that's the time we are living in due to the pandemic," Geeta, winner of three Commonwealth Championships gold medals in 2009, 2011 and 2013, told The New Indian Express.

"We have to be mentally and physically strong in these tough times.

"I hope the Federation holds a national camp so that we can continue with our preparations."

A new date for the Championships has not been announced, but it is expected to be re-arranged for March.