IWF Development Funds kick off Nordic Athletes’ Commission work
The Nordic Weightlifting Federation (NWF) has modernized its constitution this fall to follow the new IWF Constitution. Modelling the IWF Athletes’ Commission the NWF has now an active Athletes’ Commission with ten active athletes, a male and a female representative from each member federation. Amongst themselves the athletes chose Katla Björk Ketilsdóttir (ISL) as the Chair, Ine Andersson (NOR) as Vice Chair, Árni Rúnar Baldursson (ISL) as Secretary and Saara Retulainen (FIN) as Social Media Administrator.
The NWF AC was welcomed with IWF AC Chair Sarah Davies who described work that the IWF Athletes’ Commission does. IOC Athlete 365 material was reviewed on how to start Athletes’ Commissions as the IOC recommends that athletes are present at all levels, not only at the international level. All new NWF AC members felt that starting an Athletes’ Commission in their own countries is the next step.
The commission also brainstormed on how the sport can be made more reachable to the common spectators. The sport is popular in the Olympic years as the exposure from the Olympic movement brings a wider audience to weightlifting competitions. The athletes discussed their ideas about how the audience who doesn’t know our sport can be made into a fan. Once the ideas started to flow, the commission realized they must have their next meeting very soon!
The athletes have three votes at the Nordic Congresses held twice each year. The Nordic AC will work mainly online but the first ever meeting was able to be held in person with the support of the IWF Development Funds.
