The IBU Executive Board confirmed the competition calendar for the season after next at its latest meeting in Leogang in Austria.

All events on the 2019-2020 World Cup circuit will be held in Europe, with Sweden, Austria, France, Germany, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Finland and Norway all confirmed as hosts.

There is also no Russian World Cup host on the 2018-2019 World Cup calendar.

The decision not to include a Russian event on the series comes after athletes from countries including the United States, Canada and the Czech Republic boycotted the World Cup finals in Tyumen in March.

Athletes opted not to compete in Tyumen in protest at the IBU's failure to strip Russia of the competition following the country's doping scandal.

IBU Executive Board member James Carrabre admitted the worldwide governing body had sent the wrong message by ignoring concerns raised by the IBU Athlete Committee and continuing to hold the event in Russia. 

The IBU Executive Board did not confirm the reasons why Russia was excluded from the list of World Cup hosts, although it is likely that claims Russian doping cases were covered up by the previous leadership were a factor.

A criminal investigation was recently opened into Anders Besseberg and Nicole Resch, the former IBU President and secretary general respectively, concerning possible doping, fraud and corruption involving Russian athletes following a raiding of the IBU's headquarters based on a tip-off by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Besseberg and Resch are suspected of accepting bribes amounting to $300,000 (£211,000/€243,000) and other benefits in return for a favourable stance towards Russia - but deny wrongdoing.

It is alleged that 65 doping cases involving Russian biathletes were concealed, starting in 2011, while there have also been claims that bribes were paid by Tyumen to secure the hosting rights for the 2021 World Championships.

The 2019-2020 World Cup season is due to begin in Swedish city Östersund from December 1 to 8.

The series is then scheduled to head to Hochfilzen in Austria for the second event from December 12 to 15.

Annecy in France is set to host the last competition of the calendar year from December 16 to 22 before the circuit is due to resume with back-to-back events in Germany in the New Year.

Oberhof is scheduled to welcome the world's top biathletes from January 6 to 12 before the series moves to Ruhpolding on January 13 to 19.

Pokljuka in Slovenia is due to stage the final World Cup before the World Championships take place in Antholz in Italy from February 12 to 23.

Following the World Championships, Nové Město na Moravě in the Czech Republic is set to play host from March 2 to 8.

Kontiolahti in Finland has been chosen for the penultimate World Cup before the season concludes with the finals in Oslo from March 16 to 22.