Oberhof received 28 of the 49 votes, with Nové Město claiming 21 at the Congress in Poreč in Croatia.

The vote took place after the IBU deferred a proposal from the National Federations in Slovenia, Germany and the Czech Republic to host the 2021, 2023 and 2024 editions of the IBU's flagship event outside of the Olympic Games respectively.

All three were hoping to be awarded an event each at the Congress as part of the agreement.

Nové Město is still likely to be given the 2024 World Championships following the joint proposal from the three countries.

Pokljuka being officially confirmed as host of the 2021 event ends a troubling episode for the IBU after they stripped Tyumen of the hosting rights amid the Russian doping scandal.

The Slovenian resort was initially overlooked for the World Championships, losing out to the Russian city in a controversial vote in September 2016.

The decision went against an International Olympic Committee recommendation for all Winter Federations to "freeze preparations" for any major event in Russia and "seek alternative hosts", made in the wake of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) commissioned McLaren Report.

The IBU came under intense pressure to strip Tyumen of the event from athletes and officials within the worldwide governing body following allegations of state-sponsored doping in Russia. 

They eventually did so in February 2017 amid threats of non-compliance from WADA, whose rules urge International Federations not to give major competitions to non-compliant countries.

Fresh allegations of corruption connected to the 2021 bidding process emerged after the IBU ordered Tyumen to give back the hosting rights.

Norwegian Biathlon Union President Erlend Slokvik told NRK earlier this year that he believes representatives were offered money and other incentives in return for voting for the Russian contender.

Documents obtained by the Norwegian broadcaster have also indicated that former IBU President Anders Besseberg and secretary general Nicole Resch had each revealed in meetings with athletes that the vote may have been influenced. 

Besseberg and Resch stood down from their positions in April amid the opening of an investigation across Europe into possible doping, fraud and corruption involving Russian athletes and the raiding of the IBU's headquarters based on a tip-off by WADA.

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.

The Czech Republic enjoyed another victory as Prague was chosen to host the 2020 IBU Congress ahead of Zlatibor in Serbia.