The decision was taken at the UIPM Congress in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, where national federations from six continents were present.

Laser-run is the UIPM’s fastest-growing development sport, which incorporates the finale of the Olympic version of modern pentathlon.

The UIPM Laser-Run World Championships made its debut as a stand-alone event in 2015 and has since been an annual feature on the calendar.

It is claimed the growth in laser-run participation has accelerated this year thanks to the success of the new Laser-Run City Tour.

The Tour will include more than 100 cities in 2018 following approval of an expansion strategy by the UIPM Executive Board, prior to the Congress.

Last month, Ancient Olympia hosted its first modern pentathlon laser-run.

Olympia is of one of 60 cities around the world to stage similar competitions in 2017, as part of a the UIPM's campaign to "offer a new pathway into the sport of modern pentathlon".

The Congress decided on a number of progressive initiatives aimed at integrating and strengthening the UIPM sporting movement.

The UIPM’s Under-19 and Under-17 World Championships will also be merged, starting in 2018 when the event will be held in Mafra in Portugal. 

In other competition news, China will host the 2020 UIPM Senior World Championships in a city yet to be confirmed.

Either Chengdu, Shanghai or Beijing will stage the event. 

Away from the competition circuit, the Congress voted for the creation of International Modern Pentathlon Day.

The annual event will see national federations taking part in sporting and educational activities with the aim of celebrating UIPM’s flagship sport, which has been a constant part of the Olympic Games programme since 1912.

The Congress also approved the alignment of the UIPM anti-doping rules with the World Anti-Doping Agency Code through the addition of updated rules and procedures.

Additionally, it was agreed that the UIPM Congress will take place biennially from 2018, rather than annually, and that UIPM branding will be reviewed with a view to introducing new logos and guidelines for internal and external promotion.

The Congress concluded with the announcement of the winners of the 2017 UIPM Annual Awards.

The Awards recognise the strongest-performing athletes and coaches during the calendar year and celebrate excellence in competition organisation.

France’s Valentin Prades and Russia’s Gulnaz Gubaydullina won the respective best senior man and woman prizes, while South Korea’s Choi Eunjong was named the best coach.

The Hungarian Modern Pentathlon Association was rated the best organiser for the Junior World Championships in Székesfehérvár.

"The 69th UIPM Congress has been a big success and it has underlined the strong ties between our global sporting community and the Olympic movement in Georgia," UIPM President Klaus Schormann said.

"The UIPM Congress is a very strong democratic forum and many interesting motions were carried this year.

"It was also a pleasure to present the UIPM 2017 Annual Awards to so many of our hard-working athletes, coaches and competition organisers.

"I would like to thank our hosts in Tbilisi for their excellent hospitality and we are looking forward already to our next visit."

Three new national federations have been approved as members of UIPM with all of them in the African Confederation - Mali, Niger and Togo.

Next year’s Congress is due to be held in Limassol in Cyprus.