The 2020 World Bowls Championships in Gold Coast have been officially cancelled ©Getty Images

The 2020 World Bowls Championships in Gold Coast have been officially cancelled after a proposal to hold the event two years later than planned was scrapped.

World Bowls confirmed the news and also announced plans to rebrand their flagship event and hold it every two years, starting in 2023.

Action in Gold Coast was originally due to take place in the 2018 Commonwealth Games host city between May 26 and June 7 last year, before the competition was moved into 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New dates of between May 25 and June 6 this year were set, but these also proved impossible due to the continued complications caused by the virus.

Countries were asked by World Bowls and Bowls Australia about a further postponement to October 2022 but, following feedback, the organisations have ruled that it is "not feasible to stage a credible World Championships in 2022".

The 2022 plan was "the final proposal to reschedule" so the event has now been cancelled.

A refreshed World Championships is planned for odd years from 2023 ©Getty Images
A refreshed World Championships is planned for odd years from 2023 ©Getty Images

It is now hoped that the 2023 World Championships will be held in Gold Coast with the 2025 edition in Hong Kong.

This follows work carried out by an Events Review Working Group which was formed by World Bowls.

All nations will be eligible to enter these competitions, meaning qualifiers will not be held.

As a result, the Atlantic and Asia Pacific Championships will no longer be played.