The country was awarded the event following a meeting of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) Executive Committee, according to Belarusian news agency BelTA.

The complex in Rabuichi, which is one of the main venues for winter sport in Belarus, has previously staged three editions of the IBU World Championships – in 1974, 1982 and 1990.

It also held the 2015 IBU Junior World Championships and the summer competition, first organised by the IBU 20 years ago, in 1999.

The National Winter Olympic Training Center has a wide range of sporting facilities, including a roller ski track, over 20 kilometres of ski tracks and modern shooting grounds.

It also has ski jumps, a freestyle slope, a slalom track, gyms and an ice hockey arena.

The venue was awarded the highest recognition by the IBU in 1996, allowing it to hold major competitions in all forms of the sport of biathlon.

The 2016 Summer Biathlon World Championships took place at the Tehvandi Sports Centre Stadium in the Estonian town of Otepää in August.

Over 250 athletes from 24 nations participated, with some of the sport’s biggest names securing gold medals.

Olena Pidhrushna, a member of the Ukrainian team which claimed gold in the women’s 4x6km relay at Sochi 2014, won the summer sprint title as well as silver in the pursuit.

Multiple World Championships medallist Kaisa Mäkäräinen spearheaded Finland to victory in the mixed relay, while Sochi 2014 Olympian Martin Otcenas of Slovakia sealed a sprint and pursuit double.

The 2017 edition of the Summer Biathlon World Championships are due to take place in Chaykovsky in Russia.