The programme featured seven male and three female track events in Beijing, but will now see both men's and women's individual pursuits, men's and women's points races and men's Madison scrapped in favour of sprints, keirins, team sprints, team pursuits and omniums for both sexes after the IOC's ruling Executive Board rubber-stamped the changes.

A statement from the IOC said: "The changes to the track cycling programme see the number of women's events increase from three in Beijing in 2008 to five in London, with the total number of track cycling events now at five each for men and women.

"The changes reflect the IOC's desire to continually refresh the programme, as well as its commitment to increase women's participation.

"These changes in the track cycling programme bring the number of women cyclists at the Games to 84, up from 35 in Beijing.

"Women will now make up 45 per cent of the total number of track cyclists at the Games [compared to 19 per cent in Beijing]."

The changed programme means Briton Victoria Pendleton will be allowed the opportunity to not only defend her sprint title but also compete in the keirin and team sprint to bid for three golds at one Games, a feat which was achieved by Sir Chris Hoy last year.

But the decision leaves Wiggins and Romero, winners of the individual pursuit events in Beijing, left without a title to defend.

Both Wiggins and Romero have outspokenly criticised the proposal to axe the individual pursuit and the suggestion of including the omnium, a heptathlon-style event, was met with disdain, with riders believing it is an event based on consistency rather than speed.

Wiggins said: "It's disappointing, but it's not something I can control or have an effect on.

"It would have been nice to have been back there and going for number three in the individual.

"I can understand why they are doing it, but it's a bit drastic losing three endurance events and replacing it with something like the omnium which, in my opinion, is a poor event to watch.

"But it doesn't matter what we think. 

"We're just the riders."

Romero, who beat British team-mate Wendy Houvenaghel to claim the gold medal in Beijing, has turned her attention to the road time-trial since the changes were proposed, also expressed dissatisfaction with the decision.

She said: "I'm disappointed that the chance for me to defend my Olympic title has been taken away, especially at this late stage in the Olympiad only two years before Olympic qualification.

"But with challenges come opportunities and I'll endeavour to work harder than before to reach the podium in London 2012 in a third different discipline [road cycling] - something I will relish, having previously excelled in the physical, technical and tactical journey of switching from rowing to track cycling."

Dozens of current and former cyclists, including Lance Armstrong, have also spoken out against dropping the individual pursuit. 

Jacques Rogge, the President of the IOC, claimed the committee was following the recommendations of the UCI.

He said: "It is the advice of the UCI that the new format would be more appealing.

"Of course, the concerned riders regret that. 

"This is perfectly understandable, but the executive board of UCI considered the new format would be far more appealing.

"There is a general shift as you know from endurance events more to sprint events.

"That is a consideration being made by the experts of cycling, not the IOC."

Rogge claimed the UCI had conducted "extensive" surveys that supported the changes.

He said: "They are adamant that the new programme is an improvement for cycling and especially that it will improve the audience and the popularity of the track events.

"You can always argue about one individual event. 

The individual event might be very popular in some countries where medals are won, but not necessarily in other countries where there are no riders of high quality.

"You have always to distinguish the big picture from any particular country where some heroes win a lot of medals.

"That does not reflect necessarily on the world view."

On the final day of a two-day meeting, the IOC board also ratified a proposal by the International Tennis Federation for inclusion of a 16-team mixed doubles competition in London, where the tournament will be played on grass at Wimbledon.

In August, the IOC said it wanted guarantees that top players in singles would be able to participate in mixed doubles. 

The IOC said Thursday that mixed doubles "will bring an added value to the Olympic program by providing another opportunity for men and women to compete together on the same field of play."

Mixed doubles were played at several Olympics from 1900 to 1924. 

The last gold medalists were Americans Richard Williams and Hazel Wightman in Paris in 1924.

Tennis was dropped from the Olympics after 1924 but returned as a medal event in 1988 without mixed doubles.

Francesco Ricci Bitti, the President of the ITF, said: "We believe that this addition will make Olympic tennis a truly unique event, with top players having the opportunity to compete for their countries and the honor of an Olympic medal in three distinct disciplines: singles, doubles and mixed doubles."


Related stories
December 2009: Pendleton - Don't blame me for Olympic cycling changes
December 2009: Top cyclists write protest letter over London 2012 changes
October 2009: Romero claims cycling changes for London 2012 are "ludicrous"
October 2009: Changes for London 2012 will kill track cycling claims Wiggins
September 2009: UCI plotting equality changes to track programme for London 2012