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IWF Executive Board – Tokyo 2020 venue visit

On the occasion of the IWF Executive Board meeting in Tokyo, the Members had the opportunity to visit the Tokyo 2020 venues. They got a glimpse of the Olympic Village construction site and the Tokyo International Forum. The venue to host the weightlifting competitions is located close to the Emperor Palace in the heart of Tokyo. The Executive Board was received by the President of the Tokyo International Forum Kiyofumi Kamijo and Managing Director Tetsuhiro Saikai. Reiko Chinen, Weightlifting Manager Tokyo 2020 gave explanation and information to the Members

Burundian Weightlifting Federation Elections

The Burundian Weightlifting Federation held its Elections in Bujumbura on April 26th, 2017. The following officials were elected: President: Vincent  NTIBARIKURE Vice President: Richard MBONIMPA General Secretary: Oscar NDIHOKUBWAYO Vice General Secretary: Grace  NDAYIZEYE Treasurer: Jocelyne  GIRUKWISHAKA Congratulations to all the elected

Zhanat Tussupbekov became Honorary Consul of Georgia

President of the Weightlifting Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and IWF Vice-President Zhanat Tussupbekov is also taking up the function of Honorary Consul working to strengthen the relations between Kazakhstan and Georgia. The sport leader received his appointment from the Georgian Ambassador of Kazakhstan. His future tasks will include building up the economic and cultural relations between the two countries. Until now, the successful management of the IWF Marketing Commission is also one of his achievement.  Source:

IOC Executive Board decision on Tokyo 2020 programme

IOC Program Commission compiled the requests received from several IFs and made a proposal presented to the IOC Executive Board. The decision marks a key milestone in the evolution of the Olympic Programme by introducing youth-focused innovation, increasing gender equality, and reducing the overall size of the Games. Weightlifting was confirmed as one of the 28 sports on the programme of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Following the principles set by Agenda 2020 in maximizing events, the decision of the IOC EB was to accept 7 Women and 7 Men bodyweight categories in order to reach gender equality. As confirmed earlier, at the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games, gender equality was reached by obtaining an additional event: 6 Women and 6 Men. In order to reach the goal of organizing more Sustainable Games by reducing number of participating athletes, the first step was to lower the quota of several sports; 196 was approved for weightlifting. IOC Press

Highlights of the Electoral Congress 2017

Dear Member Federation Delegates, As you know the Electoral Congress is one of the biggest, most important and exciting administrative event in the world of weightlifting. TAWA Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association held a very well-organized, brilliant gathering in Bangkok. I would like to express my gratitude to Mrs. Boossaba, TAWA President and Maj. Gen. Intarat Yodbangtoey IWF 1st Vice President for the excellent organization as well as for all the 157 Member Federation Delegates participated at the Electoral Congress in Thailand, May 29-30th. Congratulations to all the candidates who were elected to become a Member of the Executive Board and all the different Committees. All elected Members are actively contribute to the future of weightlifting what is governed on the highest level of leadership by the Committees. I hope as an active member you will work hard and efficient to keep weightlifting at its highest standard in the future. Thank You, Dr. Tamas AJAN IWF President IOC Honorary Member   WOMEN highlights Ursula Papandrea becomes first female Vice President of the IWF: Papandrea has become the first woman ever to sit as a Vice President of the IWF after being elected. She was an international lifter in the 1990s before becoming a top coach and, last year, President of USA Weightlifting. In 2003 she became the first and only senior international coach in the United States who is a woman. With one place among the five Vice Presidents guaranteed for a woman - a first in the IWF's 112-year history - Papandrea defeated her sole rival Moira Lassen, of Canada, by 84 votes to 55. Colombian Ana Camacho withdrew. She retired from international competition in 1996, four years before women's events were added to the Olympic programme. "Very few women from that period actually made it to the Olympics," said Papandrea, whose best friend Robyn Byrd-Goade is the only person who competed at both the first Women's World Championship in 1987 and the first Women's Olympic classes at Sydney in 2000. "But when you are in a movement like that you are not seeking personal benefit." "We were working to get women noticed internationally, performing internationally." Papandrea's main aims in her new role centre on anti-doping and inclusivity. "My specific goals are to continue what's already been started in anti-doping and also to do some image repair, as we are suffering image problems because of the doping scandals," she said. "This win for me says something about the delegate membership, because they have voted for me in the knowledge that I am from a country well known for being strongly against doping." As for inclusivity, Papandrea wants the sport to be more accessible to more countries, especially in Africa and South America, and to see a bigger spread of nations winning medals at major championships. Finland's Karoliina Lundahl was voted in onto the Executive Board of the IWF: After the withdrawal of Moira Lassen, the Canadian who became the IWF’s first female Executive Board member in 2013, Lundahl was a clear winner. It is the first time two women have sat on the 21-strong Executive Board. During her career, Lundahl took part in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta in the shot put before switching to weightlifting in 1998 when women's competitions were introduced to the programme at Sydney 2000. In weightlifting, she won two World Championship titles at Istanbul in 1994 in the over 83 kilogram category and four years later on home ground in Lahti when she topped the 75kg contest. She then became an international coach and is head of the coaching and education at the Finnish Weightlifting Federation. In addition to her World Championship crowns, Lundahl won the 1994 at European title at 83kg. Source:

IWF Development Program: Chile

In the framework of the IWF Development Program, the proposal of the Chilean Weightlifting Federation to develop a Basic Weightlifting Seminars in each regional capital city, with the presence of delegates of any cities of the region is a great success. As Chile is divided in 15 regions, the complete program include seminars in Arica, Iquique, Antofagasta, Copiapó, La Serena, Valparaíso, Santiago, Rancagua, Talca, Concepción, Temuco, Valdivia, Puerto Montt, Coyhaique and Punta Arenas. The Program was designed this way in order to cover the financial requirements derived of the big distance between the cities involved and the capital city Santiago. THE PATAGONIA AND AYSÉN Until very recently, weightlifting did not exist in the region, but the media impact of the Chilean participants in the Olympic Games has generated a growing movement. That has already managed to form part of the regional representative in this year's National Sports Games. In coordination with the regional representation of the National Institute of Sports two seminars were developped in this region, previous the National Games, where Aysén, for the first time, was represented in weightlifting. The idea is to incorporate this region to the regular participation in competitions of the annual calendar of the federation, completing the practice of weightlifting in all the country. COYHAIQUE Obviously skiing is a common practice here and winter sports have a special place. But the cold weather limits the outdoor activities and indoor sports as weightlifting can take advantage of it, copying the example of Punta Arenas. As happened previously in other cities or regions, the practice of weightlifting begins when some person or group of people fall in love of this sport and begin the practice with a few elements but great passion. The example of Coyhaique it is not different, but now the Federation, and the Government want to support these activities since the beginnings. The seminar had a very good attendance, big enthusiasm and specially the interest in the community and people in the practice of our sport. PUERTO AYSÉN As soccer is the most popular sport in the country, also in Puerto Aysén it is very popular. But here is very difficult to practice all the time under the rain (and the cold). In this case, the weather is an ally for weightlifting. Taking advantage of the climate conditions and the few opportunities for sport and other popular enterteining activities, weightlifting is there as an alternative, like in Cañete or Curanilahue in the Bio bio Region, small towns where our sport is an icon. Source: Chilean Weightlifting