The IAAF Council has approved the introduction of the Gundersen method, currently used in modern pentathlon, into an event that has always been problematic at the finish as spectators wait to hear how the final 1,500 metres - or in the women’s event, 800m has worked out in terms of the overall result.

It would mean athletes finish in overall rank order.

In two other significant developments for the sport, a mixed 4x400m relay added to the programme of the event in the Kenyan capital, while the men’s 10,000m has been dropped, with both men and women racing over 3,000m and 5,000m.

The Council has also agreed to post live world rankings from January 1, 2019, although it will not immediately be linked to qualification for IAAF events.

“This will allow athletes and member federations to see the rankings system in action during the 2019 season without it impacting on qualification for the World Athletics Championships Doha 2019,” the IAAF said in a statement.

“The Council will further discuss the introduction of the world rankings as the primary qualification process for the 2020 Olympic Games at its next meeting in March.”

The new bidding process whereby Budapest was awarded the 2023 IAAF World Championships has been permanently adopted.

The IAAF Council has confirmed that the process where the ruling body "selects an area to host the event, and then a bid evaluation panel recommends a host city from interested candidates” – will be adopted initially for the World Outdoor and Indoor Championships and eventually for all World Athletics Series events.

A proposal to alter Rule 163.4 on lane infringement - following the high number of disqualifications at this year’s IAAF World Indoor Championships, where in one case an entire heat of the men’s 400m was disqualified – was not accepted by the Council, which asked for further information.           

This means the Rule 163.4 will be unchanged for the 2019 indoor season.

An amendment was approved to Rules 251 and 252  which will merge the mountain running and trail running rules to create a consistent approach to rule enforcement at these events, effective from January 1.

Another amendment was approved to Rule 170.10 - substitutes for relay races - to allow four additional athletes to be used once a relay team has started the competition, which would be applicable at all World Athletics Series events and Olympic Games.

The Council also approved the new IAAF Manipulation of Sports Competition Rules, as from January 1, 2019.

This means the same standard of proof - that is, the comfortable satisfaction standard - and the same processes of investigation and adjudication will apply to breaches of these rules as currently apply to alleged breaches of all other rules under the integrity Code of Conduct.