The World Athletics Council has moved the event, scheduled to be held from May 13 to 14 2023, until April or May in 2025, with the exact dates yet to be confirmed.  

A decision was taken following an agreement between the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and the Chinese Athletics Association because of the pandemic.

The postponement impacts on the qualification system for the relay events at the Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships.

To avoid this, the World Athletics Competition Commission has revised the qualification system to include the top eight teams from the Oregon 2022 World Athletics Championships and the top eight teams from the performance lists.

By doing so, the aim is to repeat a similar qualification system by still qualifying part of the field through direct competition and part through performance in the qualification period.

"It is regrettable when we have to postpone an event," World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said.

"However, World Athletics and the local organising committee are both committed to the responsible planning and delivery of the World Athletics Relays, which includes ensuring that athletes from all International Federations are able to participate in and enjoy an experience in a safe and healthy environment.

"I want to thank our colleagues at the Chinese Athletics Association and the LOC for their efforts and cooperation in resolving this situation and look forward to 2025 when our hosts are able to stage a spectacular World Athletics Relays."

Meanwhile, it was decided that the World Athletics Council is set to name the host of the 2024 World Athletics Relays on November 30 in Rome.

It is worth noting that table tennis is the only sport to have major events held in China since Beijing 2022, with strict lockdowns still in place in many parts.

The Chengdu 2022 World Team Table Tennis Championships followed a closed-loop management system similar to the one from the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Dozens of sports events in China have been postponed or cancelled due to the pandemic.

Recently, the Nanjing 2023 World Athletics Indoor Championships was postponed to 2025 while the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games and Asian Para Games were also postponed by a year.