 In the late 1960s Tunisia and Morocco hosted the event, reflecting the ICCU's gradual move away from its Western European base.The body served as the leading international organisation for top level cross country running until 1973, at which point it merged with the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF), which until then had largely been a track and field-oriented body.The Union voted to pass the organisation of the International Championships on to the IAAF in 1971.