News

IWF Launches New Website On The Day Of The Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony

On the day of the Opening Ceremony of Tokyo 2020, the International Weightlifting Federation has launched its new website, which can be found on iwf.sport. With the launch of this new website, IWF joined the effort made by the IOC, Tokyo 2020 and others to boost digital engagement for the Olympic competitions, with iwf.sport featuring a special Tokyo 2020 section.“We are very pleased to be able to make our own contribution to the way people will interact online with weightlifting at Tokyo 2020 and beyond, with the launch of this new website,” said IWF President Dr Michael Irani. “Weightlifting is universally accessible and universally useful, helping people to build and maintain strength throughout life. In order to best promote weightlifting, we must take full advantage of the incredible opportunity that is the Olympic Games. We will also bring to life the stories of our athletes, our World Championships and other events.”Throughout Tokyo 2020, a dedicated IWF team will be onsite, together with other broadcasters and media. They will report on the resonant stories of the sport, like the participation of TOUA Loa Dika (PNG) who in Sydney 2000 became the first woman to lift on an Olympic platform. The use of iwf.sport sees the IWF join a number of other International Federations in migrating to the .sport platform, which was secured for dedicated use by the sports movement by

IOC elects Brisbane 2032 as Olympic and Paralympic host

July 21, 2021 International Olympic Committee Members today voted to elect Brisbane 2032 as host of the Games of the XXXV Olympiad.   The secret ballot was held at the 138th Session in Tokyo, two days before the Opening Ceremony for the Olympic Games, under strict COVID-19 restrictions. The Session heard presentations by Brisbane 2032, including by video link-up from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, as well as a final report from Kristin Kloster, Chair of the Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad – the IOC body responsible for monitoring and analysing interest in hosting the Olympic Games and the Youth Olympic Games. Brisbane received 72 yes and 5 no votes from 77 valid votes. Before the vote, IOC Members were able to pose questions to Mrs Kloster about the election process, and to Brisbane 2032 about their  proposal to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane and South-East Queensland. IOC President Thomas Bach said: “We encourage Olympic Games projects which are sustainable and economically responsible, which deliver the best possible Games experience for athletes and fans, and which leave solid legacies for local communities. “The Brisbane 2032 vision and Games plan fit into long-term regional and national strategies for social and economic development in Queensland and Australia, and complement the goals for the Olympic Movement outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020 and 2020+5, while focusing on providing memorable sports experiences for athletes and fans. “Today’s vote is a vote of trust that Brisbane and Queensland will stage magnificent Olympic and Paralympic Games 2032. We have heard a lot of positive feedback from IOC Members and International Federations in the past few months. Brisbane 2032 is the first future host to have been elected under, and to have fully benefited from, the new flexible approach to electing Olympic hosts. The reforms enable the IOC to work in partnership with cities, regions and countries, to encourage Olympic projects which use a high percentage of existing and temporary venues, which align with long-term development plans, and which have a strong vision for sports and local communities. President Bach said: “This new approach is lighter, more collaborative, more compact, and has a positive impact. Now we always have a significant pool of Interested Parties for 2036, and even for 2040, which is almost 20 years from now. I can’t remember that we have ever been in such a favourable position 20 years before an Olympic Games. “We enter Tokyo 2020 with full confidence for the future of the Olympic Movement.” Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Scott Morrison MP, said: “said: “The 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Queensland will forge an enduring legacy for our entire nation. They will support economic growth and investment, deliver lasting community benefits and inspire the next generation of Australian athletes. “I am proud of Australia, proud of Queensland and proud of our team that secured this win for our country. “The Commonwealth Government has supported Brisbane’s candidacy for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games right from the very start. We believe in this bid. “We know it’s a huge opportunity for our nation, just like the Melbourne Games in 1956 and the Sydney Olympics in 2000.” Following the election, the Host Contract 2032 was signed by the Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk MP, Premier of Queensland and Minister for Trade, Councillor Adrian Schrinner, the Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Brisbane, and Mr John Coates AC, President of the Australian Olympic Committee. Ms Palaszczuk said: “Queensland’s fundamental approach is to align Games legacy with long-term plans. “We will work with all three levels of government to embed Games legacy opportunities in existing programmes and will create a special Games Legacy Fund. “This is to ensure the effective delivery of legacy over the next 10 years – and the 10 years after that. “That means we develop not just a new generation of Olympic athletes, but we give our small businesses the opportunity to participate too, grow their business and export to the world.” Councillor Schrinner added: “Local government leaders began this incredible journey, and now it is our job to ensure that Brisbane 2032 delivers a legacy to everyone who calls South-East Queensland home. “This is a wonderful opportunity for the fastest growing capital city in Australia, and successful Olympic and Paralympic Games will help our region cater for the growth to come and guarantees Brisbane will get even better.” Since approving the new approach to electing in June 2019, IOC Members have been engaged and consulted throughout the process.  Mrs Kloster had delivered three previous reports to the Session, most recently in March of this year, when she presented a detailed Future Host Commission report and Feasibility Assessment. After receiving the report in March this year, the Session supported the decision to conduct a Targeted Dialogue with Brisbane 2032. A second, in-camera briefing with IOC Members took place in June, as part of regular consultations between the IOC and Members. This meeting replaced what used to be known as the Members’ technical briefing, and incorporated a comprehensive presentation by the Brisbane 2032 team and the Australian Olympic Committee. Members also heard from Mrs Kloster about the in-depth analysis of the project carried out through Targeted Dialogue, at the end of which Brisbane 2032 put forward a Final Submission in response to the IOC’s Future Host Questionnaire, setting out its vision and technical ambitions for hosting the Games. This led to the Future Host Commission Report and the Commission’s recommendation to put forward Brisbane 2032 for election – endorsed by an IOC Executive Board decision. Early reports indicate that Brisbane 2032 has spent approximately 80 per cent less than for the average candidate city budgets for the Games in 2020, 2024 and 2028. This will be confirmed in due course by audited accounts – a requirement of the election process. An Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) will be formed in the coming months. For news about Brisbane 2032, follow @olympics and #brisbane2032 on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for email alerts at olympics.com

2021 ELEIKO International Email Club Tournament

The ELEIKO International Email Club Weightlifting Tournament is back on track. This year it will be held on the first weekend of August between the 6th – 8th. The Oceania Weightlifting Federation invites all the Clubs that would like to participate and join the Tournament. Information and participation requirements of the Tournament are as follows: -The Club must be affiliated to the National Weightlifting Federation of your country; -There is no limit to the number of competitors. The club will be able to register as many lifters as they wish, both men and women; -Lifters must be 13 years old or over. Lifters/Clubs can submit entries in the following IWF categories: MEN: 55,61,67,73,81,89,96,102,109, +109 WOMEN: 45,49,55,59,64,71,76,81,87,+87 For the men's prizes, the organization announced 1 set of ELEIKO training weights of 190Kg each, sponsored by ELEIKO, which will be awarded to the First, Second, and Third Club that obtains the highest number of points according to IWF rules (only for the Total). As for the women, winners will be awarded 1 set of ELEIKO training weights of 185 kg each, sponsored by ELEIKO, following the same rules. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Athletes in each category will receive medals (only for the Total).  Medals will be sent to each Club once the complete results are finalized and the competition will be refereed by a senior Club official. All Clubs should note that, in order to participate in this Tournament, it is the participating Clubs’ responsibility to ensure that their lifters, who will be competing, are fully covered by medical insurance against any injury, accident or damage to health, including in transit to/from the competition venue and must assume financial responsibility for any hospitalization and related

Developing Weightlifting in Barbados

We take a deeper look into the weightlifting situation in Barbados, one of the 25 islands and countries in the Caribbean. The IWF had the chance to speak with Andrew Callender, president of the Weightlifting Federation of Barbados, giving us insights into the current development of the sport and the needs of young and future generations. In a wide picture, we can all expect the extra needs that come along with any kind of sports development within the Caribbean islands, but what we can’t nearly imagine are the extraordinary difficulties and efforts that athletes, clubs and federations have to go through in order to be able to succeed on the big screen. On top of everything, we have to add the overall effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic which stopped so many projects such as the improvement of Caribbean Weightlifting, that aims to unite the Caribbean islands in the endeavor of the development of the sport. The necessary equipment and funding being delayed or pending to arrive are a result of a chain of problems: delays from China, the Pandemic or the eruption of the volcano in St. Vincent affecting Barbados, which are issues that resemble more of a fiction movie than the reality to which we are already accustomed. Despite these unstable conditions, the passion and the dedication from the different athletes, coaches and federation members for the sport keeps them motivated to continue working towards their goals of evolving weightlifting within their communities. “We are grateful for the support received from the Barbados Olympic Association as well as from the International Weightlifting Federation, but even with it we still struggle facing the continued problems and needs for our sport in Barbados” Andrew Callender, President of Weightlifting Federation, says. The main issue comes towards international competitions and qualifiers for the Olympics, where the cost of travelling increases substantially and, as a result, athletes miss out on opportunities to compete at. This is something that Barbados is trying to change in the near future. “We are working on a qualifier to be held next year in Barbados for the Commonwealth Games, so that all of the Caribbean islands have a chance to compete at and qualify their athletes in this event” Callender reaffirms. During the conversation, we were able to review the needs when it comes to funding but also with the facilities and equipment required to continue developing weightlifting in Barbados. Different factors such as working with two currencies, USD and local, makes it even more complicated when dealing with international help and funding, losing a big percentage of it due to bank transactions. “We try to approach our sponsors from a different perspective, so that they can help in a variety of ways, not just economically but also directly through traveling fees or sport material, in a more tangible way, so that we can save money to buy things we can neither obtain nor produce ourselves” Callender states. He also tells us how the weightlifting community enjoys building equipment themselves on the weekends, and even states that “our equipment is even stronger and tougher than the one you can buy at shops because we build it counting on our particular weather conditions” The lack of proper and owned training facilities, the weather conditions or the small impact of the sport in the community are other issues that clearly make it challenging for the sport to continue growing. Solving these needs are current tasks to be tackled by the Weightlifting Federation in Barbados in cooperation with international sport institutions and with the main goal of successfully developing and improving weightlifting in the Caribbean, but as Callender says “passion, vocation and teamwork make it all

South American Weightlifting Confederation’s Magazine Anniversary

The South American Weightlifting Confederation is celebrating 5 years of its magazine, with the launch of edition Nº10. This edition shows the results based on the on-line activities and competitions from the second semester of 2020 in America, as well as reflects on the hard work behind the cameras allowing spectators to keep up-to-date. It also contains a review from the new Prohibited list of WADA by the Peruvian doping expert Víctor Carpio and an analysis of the successfully developed on-line course by the President of the South American Association of Coaches. The magazine can be found in the following link or at the South American Confederation website: (http://sudamericanapesas.org) Link:

Joint Statement on Spectator Capacities at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

08 July 2021 Today, following the decision by the Government of Japan (GoJ) to announce a state of emergency in Tokyo, the five parties, namely the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) and the GoJ came together for a meeting. During this meeting, the IOC and the IPC were informed by the Japanese side about the impact of this announcement on the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 and supported the policies that were presented by the Japanese parties. The main decisions are as follows: -The GoJ today decided to announce a state of emergency in Tokyo. The state of emergency in Tokyo is being implemented as a measure aimed at suppressing the flow of people in order to prevent the spread of infection now, because the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases remains high and the number of people infected with variant COVID-19 strains in Tokyo is increasing. -The conclusion of the Five-Party Meeting held on 21 June 2021 included: “In the event that a state of emergency or other priority measures aimed at preventing infection are implemented at any time after 12 July 2021, restrictions on spectator numbers at the Games, including non-spectator competitions, will be based on the content of the state of emergency or other relevant measures in force at that time.” In response to the state of emergency, stricter measures with regard to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 have also been decided by the three Japanese parties. No spectators will be allowed into any venues in Tokyo during the Olympic Games. Under this policy, in areas where emergency measures are not in force, local government authorities will meet and decide specific measures in consultation with the local governors based on the situation in each area. -In the event of a significant change in the state of infection, a Five-Party Meeting will be convened immediately to review the spectator capacity. -Following the same discussion on 21 June, it was also stated: "The policy for the Paralympic Games will be decided by 16 July, one week before the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games." However, it will now be necessary to make a decision based on the infection situation prevailing at the time. For this reason, the decision regarding the admission of Paralympic event spectators will now be taken when the Olympic Games end. The IOC and IPC, respecting this decision, support it in the interest of safe and secure Games for everybody.At the same time, all five parties deeply regret for the athletes and for the spectators that this measure had to be put in place for the reasons outlined above.