The International Racquetball Federation is seeking a new World Championship host ©IRF

The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has announced that China will no longer be the host of this year's World Championships.

Haining City was due to stage the flagship event between August 10 and 18 next year but a new location will now be sought.

It comes after Chinese Government permission, necessary to stage the Championships, was delayed.

This is said to have led to other logistical complications.

The IRF still hopes to hold a racquetball competition in China ©Getty Images
The IRF still hopes to hold a racquetball competition in China ©Getty Images

"It is with great sadness that the IRF has made the difficult decision to move the World Championships this summer and delay hosting a tournament in China," said IRF President Osvaldo Maggi.

"We will continue to work with the Asian Racquetball Federation and the China Racquetball Federation with the goal of holding a future IRF event there soon. 

"In the meantime, the Executive Committee is discussing our back-up location, and we hope to make an announcement very soon regarding the location of the World Championships in August." 

Two versions of a sport called racquetball, or racketball, exist.

The IRF govern the largely North American game which is played on a large court with no tin.

The sport played on a squash court was rebranded as "Squash 57" in an initiative spearheaded by the World Squash Federation in 2016.