The Democratic Republic of Congo will now host the Games in 2022 ©Getty Images

The 2021 edition of the Francophonie Games in Kinshasa have been moved to 2022 to avoid a direct clash with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Competition at the multi-sport event for French-speaking countries was due to take place in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital between July 23 and August 1 next year.

Remaining on the same dates would mean significant crossover with Tokyo 2020, which was moved back a year by the International Olympic Committee due to the continued uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new dates for the Olympics are July 23 to August 8.

According to Francs Jeux, the event in Kinshasa will now be held in the "summer of 2022".

Kinshasa stepped in as host in place of Moncton-Dieppe ©Getty Images
Kinshasa stepped in as host in place of Moncton-Dieppe ©Getty Images

It gives the Congolese city more time to prepare after they were only named as hosts in July of last year.

The Games were due to take place in Moncton-Dieppe in Canada, which was chosen to stage them in 2016.

However, the Government in Canadian province New Brunswick pulled out in January 2019 after claiming ballooning costs. 

Other events to move because of the decision to postpone Tokyo 2020 include the World Games in American city Birmingham, which have also shifted from 2021 to 2022.