The IJRU say its virtual World Championships next year will replace the in-person tournament that was scheduled to be held in Ottawa, Canada in July.

As well as the World Championship, the IJRU say they will also take their Junior World Championship and International Open tournaments online next year.

In a statement the IJRU said: "We look forward to seeing all of the amazing submissions from our athletes and hope that we can all meet in person again soon."

As well as announcing its plans for next year's World Championships, the IJRU also described some of the other challenges it was facing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The IJRU said it was important for jump rope and rope skipping to keep athletes engaged and to continue to provide opportunities for participation at all levels, including at World Championship standard.

They warned that "if athletes cannot engage in the sport of jump rope and rope skipping, they will likely move to another activity," but added on a more positive note that "unlike some other sports, we can participate in and practice the sport without contact while maintaining distance."

The organisation said they believed that a virtual World Championships would drive innovation and lead to growth and wider exposure, and added that they felt it provided an opportunity for greater inclusivity because the costs of participating were far lower.

The IJRU also issued a warning that: "If we don’t have a financially successful event in 2021, IJRU may not have the financial resources needed to produce an in-person event in the future," adding that "support today means ensuring our sport can continue internationally."