IWF joins the International Testing Agency (ITA)
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and the International Testing Agency (ITA) have signed a partnership whereby the ITA will take responsibility for key areas of the IWF’s anti-doping programme.
The ITA’s remit includes carrying out a detailed risk assessment, test distribution planning and management, out of competition testing, Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) management, and support with regard to the IWF’s education programmes. Under the agreement, which was signed at the 2018 IWF World Championships in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, the ITA will begin its work on 1 January 2019.
Working closely together, the ITA will expand its role to include in-competition testing, management of the IWF Athlete Biological Passport programme, result management, and long term storage and re-analysis of samples by September 2019.
This partnership is another clear example of the IWF’s commitment to anti-doping, and the importance it places on educating athletes, coaches and spectators.
Following the announcement, IWF President Tamás Aján said:
“We are very pleased to be partnering with the ITA and will benefit greatly from their independent, world-leading expertise in delivering anti-doping programmes. We are committed to protecting clean athletes and ensuring our anti-doing testing is more accurate, more efficient and more transparent.
“We have made excellent progress in recent years and would like to express our gratitude to the CCES who have played a key role in strengthening our anti-doping operations.
“We look forward to working closely with the ITA as we continue on our path to ensuring clean weightlifting”
Benjamin Cohen, Director General of the ITA, said:
“We are proud to announce our latest partnership with the IWF. Protecting clean sport and clean athletes is imperative to both the ITA and the IWF, and together we will ensure that these athletes excel.
“As part of the growing ITA community, the IWF has shown that it is dedicated to the fight against doping, and we look forward to working closely with them to keep weightlifting real.”
