The decision was taken by the IWF Executive Board, whose two-day meeting concluded here today in Turkmenistan's capital.

In a statement, the IWF says the Executive Board "stood behind the passion and professionalism of the strong bid put together by Peru".

"The IWF is very privileged to have a host of such high quality for the 2021 World Championships," IWF President Tamas Aján said.

"We look forward to our first competition after the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with great confidence for the future of the sport that we love and that we work so hard for."

Lima had been due to host this year's IWF World Championships, but agreed in November 2017 to hand over the event to Ashgabat.

The Peruvian Weightlifting Federation relinquished its role as host "to support the sport's family". 

Lima, which is set to stage the 2019 Pan American Games, was initially awarded the 2018 IWF World Championships in November 2015.

Peru's capital fended off competition from Antalya in Turkey.

The city held the Men's World Championships in 1971 and also has previous experience of organising both the 2013 IWF Junior and 2015 Youth World Championships.

The two-day meeting also saw the IWF Executive Board welcome the ongoing progress that has been made in protecting clean weightlifters. 

Nine countries banned by the IWF for having multiple positives in the re-testing of doping samples from the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games - namely Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova and Turkey - have now served a year's suspension and returned to competition as the 2018 World Championships loom.

Last December, the International Olympic Committee outlined four requirements the beleaguered IWF need to meet to stay on the Olympic programme post-Tokyo 2020.

These are the full implementation of the recommendations from the Independent Clean Sport Commission and the Sport Programme Commission, the completion of the World Anti-Doping Agency code compliance monitoring programme and the submission of a questionnaire report on corrective actions.

Reports were presented at the IWF Executive Board meeting by the Anti-Doping Commission and the Clean Sport Commission, while members also approved a roadmap for cooperation with the newly-formed International Testing Agency.

All acknowledged the "remarkable progress" made by the IWF in making the world governing body a "leader in anti-doping".

"For years now, the IWF has clearly demonstrated its commitment to protecting clean weightlifters and to promoting clean weightlifting," Aján said.

"It is a commitment we have backed with very significant resources, with innovative programmes, with independent guidance and oversight and the support of expert partners.

"The cumulative effect of all this hard work has been the transformation of weightlifting and its culture.

"The IWF Executive Board was pleased to recognise this great progress, which has been noted by independent organisations, while renewing our commitment to ensuring it is a lasting change."

The development of weightlifting around the world was also a key theme of the IWF Executive Board meeting. 

Reports were presented on development programmes, work carried out under the auspices of Olympic Solidarity, the IWF Women's Commission and the work that enabled young weightlifters to flourish at the recent Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.

"As a great sport in itself and as the foundation for so many other sports, weightlifting's fundamental components of strength, mobility and technical proficiency are universally appreciated and universally valuable," Aján added.

"The IWF is very proud of our work and that of our 192 member federations in helping as many people as possible enjoy those benefits."

Additionally, the IWF’s governance was the subject of a report by James Carr of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, finding the body to be strong in a number of areas, including transparency. 

Room for improvement identified in other areas was met with a commitment from the IWF to take the appropriate action.

The IWF Congress is due to take place here tomorrow.

It will be followed by the first day of competition at the 2018 IWF World Championships on Thursday (November 1).