News

IWF Executive Board Meets, Makes Key Anti-Doping And Governance Decisions

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Executive Board (EB) today agreed key decisions to restore stronger Anti-Doping Rules and ensure eligibility checks of the candidates for the forthcoming IWF elections are carried out to a high standard. “Today’s decisions reflect a clear determination to safeguard the progress made by the IWF in recent years to protect clean weightlifters and promote clean weightlifting,” said IWF Interim President Dr Michael Irani. “For the first time ever, the IWF is also carrying out comprehensive eligibility verification of candidates for our elections against clearly-defined criteria.” On anti-doping, the EB specifically approved a recommendation of the Independent Testing Agency (ITA) and the newly appointed independent IWF Anti-Doping Commission to restore Article 12 of the IWF Anti-Doping Rules to a threshold whereby three anti-doping rule violations in a single year would trigger suspension proceedings, instead of four. On governance, the EB accepted a wide-ranging recommendation from the independent IWF Ethics and Discipline Commission (EDC) whereby Sport Resolutions will appoint an independent panel to fulfil the function of the Eligibility Determination Panel, in lieu of the EDC,  to carry out the process outlined in the Interim Rules. The Eligibility Determination Panel will ensure that only candidates meeting comprehensive eligibility criteria are able to stand in the forthcoming IWF elections. The Interim Rules, meanwhile, have been subject to external legal review. “Having made independent guidance a cornerstone of our anti-doping and now our governance efforts, the IWF is lucky to count on an impressive array of leaders in their respective fields for external advice: from anti-doping policy to sports law,” continued Dr Irani. “The IWF is grateful for that advice and I am pleased to be able to confirm that we are acting on

Elections – Royal Spanish Weightlifting Federation

The Extraordinary General Assembly held this Saturday, February 13, at the headquarters of the Spanish Olympic Committee, has re-elected Constantino Iglesias as president of the Royal Spanish Weightlifting Federation for the period 2021-2024. In this way, the electoral process of the RSWF that had two candidates for president, the reelected Iglesias and Emilio Estarlik, is closed. Finally, Constantino was the winner with a large difference in votes: 48 votes in favor and 10 against and no abstention. Constantino Iglesias will serve his second term at the head of the federation after taking office in 2016, he thanked the trust placed in him and assured that "these years will be full of work, work and more work. Among his main challenges for this new legislature are: - Implement modernization measures for the federal administration. - Work to continue improving our national competitions. - Insist on supporting clubs, athletes and coaches. - Not ceasing in the performance of building a solid base of young athletes to feed the national team, with the ultimate goal of classifying the largest number of athletes for the Olympic Games. Alejandro Blanco, president of the Spanish Olympic Committee, was present during part of the Assembly and wanted to congratulate the re-elected Iglesias and wanted to review the successes of our sport at an international level and stated that “no country has a weightlifting as clean as the Spanish and that this federation represents, like others, the values of federations, athletes, coaches and clubs. You have appreciated the management that Constantino and his team have carried out during the previous four years and have confirmed his good work at the head of the federation. Here you will always have my support and that of the Spanish Olympic Committee, for whatever you need”. Irene Lozano, Secretary of State for Sports, could not be present during the event, but wanted to send a congratulatory video to Constantino and the new Delegate Commission in which she expressed her “support for the RSWF to work in a loyal, coordinated and effective in favor of our sport and especially our athletes ”. In addition, she sent a message of encouragement and hope to the different levels that make up the sport after the results that vaccination is having in Spain against COVID-19. Finally, she wished Spanish weightlifting every success and that she can soon celebrate them in person with all of them. Source: Royal Spanish Weightlifting Federation -  photo credit: ISAAC MORILLAS /

2021 IWF Junior World Championships – Jeddah (KSA)

After the postponement of 2021 the IWF Junior World Championships from March 2021 the dates have been finalized and the Event will be held between 20-31 May 2021. The updated program of the Competition is planned as follows: 20 May 2021 IWF Committee Meetings/ IWF Executive Board Meeting 21 May 2021 IWF Executive Board Meeting 22 May 2021 IWF Congress 23-31 May 2021 Competitions As usual, entry submission for the event will be via the E-Entry platform and deadline for the preliminary entries (LONG LIST) is 23 February 2021. Athletes who have been entered by 10 December, 2020 (the original deadline before the postponement) are still in the system, so those Athletes don't have to be re-entered again. Since 2018 it is mandatory to register all athletes before the preliminary entry deadline in case of World Championships (Youth/Junior/Senior). For this purpose, Federations are able to register up to 20 athletes per gender even though the final number of competitors can only be a maximum of 10 athletes (+ 2 Reserves) per gender, which shall be selected by the Final Entry deadline (20 April 2021). Athletes shall also comply with the Anti-Doping requirements and rules of the IWF in regards to World Championships as follows: In accordance with article 5.5.16 of the IWF Anti-Doping Rules 2021 whereabouts information of the athletes shall be submitted at minimum three (3) months prior to the event. Athletes who wish to compete at the IWF Junior World Championships shall submit their whereabouts information for the period outlined above at the latest on 23 FEBRUARY 2021. An Athlete who does not comply with this provision is not eligible to compete at the 2021 IWF Junior World Championships. More information on the Regulations and Forms can be found here. NOTE The IWF has already sent a request to the International Olympic Committee to allow the extension of the Qualification Period to be able to conclude all Qualification Events (including the 2021 IWF JWC) as planned. This possible extension is still under review by the IOC and IWF will inform the Member Federations as soon as a decision has been

Remembering Former World Record Holder and Olympic Champion, Yuri Vlasov

Moscow, 13 February 2021 (MTI/TASS) Yuri Vlasov (Soviet Union) Olympic weightlifting champion of the Rome Olympic Games in 1960 passed away at the age of 85. TASS reported on his passing on Saturday. Based on a report of the Russian Federation Vlasov had a surgery one year ago, but he made full recovery and in the last months he was healthy. After he won at the Olympics in Rome, he also competed in the Tokyo Games in 1964 where he won Silver in the heavyweight category. Next to his Olympic medals he won four World Championships titles, six European Championships titles and broke thirty-one world records. He was also a flag bearer of the Soviet Union at both the Rome and Tokyo Games. After he retired from weightlifting, he became the president of his National Federation between 1985-1987. Next to his sporting career he was also engaged in literary and political activities, was elected to the legislature, and ran for the office in the Russian presidential elections in 1996. Source: MTI/TASS The IWF and the weightlifting family sends the most heartfelt condolences to his family and loved

EDC Joint Statement

The Ethics and Disciplinary Commission (EDC) is composed of five independent members from five different continents, which were recommended by the IWF Continental Federations and ratified by the IWF Executive Board (EB). As per the EDC Terms of Reference (ToR), the Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary were all elected by the members of the EDC acting independently. As per the EDC Interim Rules, all EDC members have to comply with extensive conflict of interests rules, both in accordance with the standard practice of Sport Resolutions (UK) which administers the EDC Secretariat and the EDC Interim Rules. All real or perceived conflicts are systematically disclosed and such members should abstain from any determination or adjudication on individuals where a - real or perceived - conflict of interests might exist. There is an extensive challenge procedure provided for under the EDC Interim Rules for the ethics and disciplinary procedures. The utmost priority of the EDC is to preserve its autonomy and the integrity of the IWF. Having carefully examined the full list of candidates sent to the EDC on 11 February 2021 and the EB Candidates published by the IWF on 9 February, and in view of the regular contacts over the past few weeks between the EDC and the EB in formal sessions for the establishment and operations of the EDC, the EDC Members have since identified that the majority of the EB members are currently candidates in the forthcoming elections. In view of the need of the EDC to be independent and fulfil its mandate in the long term, and in order to preserve the autonomy of the EDC Members, the EDC has unanimously decided to request the EB to fully delegate the functions of the Eligibility Determination Panel to Sport Resolutions (UK). The EDC also recommends amendment of the EDC Rules accordingly. Dr Despina Mavromati, Chair Mr Andrew Minogue, Vice-Chair Prof. Moni Wekesa, Secretary Ms Beatriz Merino, Member Mr Yoshi Takatori,

IWF EB RESPONDS TO IOC CONCERNS, APPROVES ADOPTION OF ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR ELECTIONS

The IWF Executive Board met on 5 February to address concerns expressed by the IOC and has approved a number of key actions, including the adoption of eligibility criteria aimed at ensuring high standards of governance for the forthcoming IWF elections. The meeting was attended by the Director of the IOC Sports Department Mr. Kit McConnell and an extended delegation from the IWF Athletes Commission. “The IOC has made its concerns perfectly clear in a number of key areas, including anti-doping rules, athlete representation and the electoral process” said IWF Interim President Dr. Michael Irani. “The IWF Executive Board has acted on these points, in order to help deliver the comprehensive changes we are committed to making in an ambitious timeframe and safeguard the Olympic future of weightlifting. The actions we have taken and are taking will help protect clean weightlifters and add credibility to our anti-doping work. They will ensure the athlete’s voice is given legal backing without delay. And they will ensure a high standard of governance is applied with regard to the eligibility of candidates standing for election to the IWF’s governing bodies,” added Dr Irani. On anti-doping rules, the IWF has requested the IWF Anti-Doping Commission and ITA to review the current rules together, with the aim of submitting a revised and independently-created version to the IWF Executive Board for approval. Consistency between the anti-doping rules and the Tokyo Olympic qualifying system will be a key priority. On athlete representation, the IWF is working to prepare a proposal to cover the specific point of athlete representation. The proposal will be made to the forthcoming IWF Electoral Congress to ensure a sound legal footing for Athletes Commission voting on the IWF Executive Board without delay, especially in the critical period prior to and during the adoption of constitutional reform. On applying new and improved standards of governance to the forthcoming elections, as previously announced, the IWF Executive Board strongly supported a proposal for interim rules made by the independent Ethics and Disciplinary Commission. Eligibility checks will be applied to all candidates based on comprehensive criteria. The interim rules are available on the IWF website here. The list of candidates subject to the eligibility process is available here. Please note that this list is subject to change on the basis of the interim rules that will now be applied by the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission. A final list of candidates will be made public 30 days prior to the IWF elections, scheduled for 26-27 March