Double Trap will no longer form part of the Olympics programme following a decision by the a Executive Committee of the International Shooting Sport Federation.
The world governing body approved a set of proposals by its Ad hoc committee to remove double trap from the Olympic programme and replace it with a Mixed Trap event.
The ISSF took this step to be in line with the IOC 2020 Agenda that aims at gender equality in all disciplines at the Olympics.
The decision is a blow for Malta's aspirations of winning a medal at the Olympics through its leading shooters William Chetcuti, Nathan Lee Xuereb and Gianluca Chetcuti.
In Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, Chetcuti narrowly missed out on a place among the finalists, while in London 2012 he was just two clay disks away from making it to the top six and moving into the final round.