The General Assembly had been scheduled to take place on April 21 during the SportAccord World Sport and Business Summit in Lausanne, cancelled by organisers earlier this month amid growing international concern over the spread of COVID-19.

Switzerland has imposed a ban on events with more than 50 participants in Vaud, the Canton where Lausanne is located, until April 30 as part of its measures to combat the virus.

In a statement, ASOIF said it would look to hold the annual gathering of its membership between November 4 and 6 to coincide with the International Federation forum in the Olympic capital.

The main item on the agenda is the Presidential election, and officials hoping to enter the running have effectively been granted an extension to the deadline to submit their candidacy with the decision to postpone the General Assembly.

According to ASOIF's statutes, nominations for President and Council positions have to be received no later than 15 days before the date of the General Assembly.

Francesco Ricci Bitti, a former head of the International Tennis Federation, has been ASOIF President since 2012 and was re-elected for a second term in 2016.

"In solidarity with all efforts to restrict the spread of the virus we should do everything possible to reschedule our meetings until later in the year," Ricci Bitti said.

"Everyone’s health is most important now."

The virus, which has wreaked havoc on the sporting calendar, has so far killed more than 8,000 people and infected over 200,000 worldwide.