The World Snooker Federation (WSF), which will be based in Olympic capital Lausanne, has been launched by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).

The new body has been established to "best serve the interests of snooker and billiards and to achieve the aspirations to become an Olympic and Paralympic sport", according to the WPBSA.

"It has been necessary to reconfigure the IF structure in billiard sports to ensure adherence to the highest standards of integrity, transparency and governance," the body added.

The WSF joins the WPBSA and the World Confederation of Billiards Sports (WCBS), the umbrella organisation of cue sports which is recognised by the International Olympic Committee, among the federations within the sport.

Snooker unsuccessfully bid for a place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where baseball and softball, karate, sport climbing, surfing and skateboarding were granted spots as additional sports.

The WSF will encompass both amateur and professional snooker.

The organsation will also stage a WSF Amateur Championship, which will be a mixed gender event open to National Federations who are members of the WSF, for the first time next year.

The winner of the tournament, due to be first held before the start of the 2018 to 2019 season, will be offered a place on the World Snooker Tour.

The WSF will be run by a board of directors, supported by a newly constituted Council comprising up to 10 people from across the globe representing different regions and continents.

"Following a restructure of the professional sport in 2010, the World Professional Snooker Tour has never been stronger," said WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson. 

"We have seen unprecedented growth and we are now a truly global sport. 

"With this growth comes a responsibility for us to ensure sustainable career pathways for elite talent and playing opportunities for all at all levels. 

"We must ensure there are no barriers in our sport, no matter of politics, race, gender or disability. 

"Only when we achieve this, can we be considered to be a 'true sport'. 

"There are some incredible people around the world, company directors, players, officials and referees, many of whom serve our sport as volunteers. 

"It is the vision of the WSF to engage with these individuals from within our sport's international community."