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WADA publishes Anti-Doping Rule Violations Report for 2016

The report highlights 1,595 confirmed Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) in 2016, involving individuals from 117 nationalities and across 112 sports. 1,326 ADRVs came from Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) and 269 from non-analytical, evidence-based intelligence. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) published its fourth annual Anti-Doping Rule Violations Report, which is the official set of such statistics under the World Anti-Doping Code. As usual, the Report is available in a PDF version; while, new this year, WADA is pleased to provide the Report in a dynamic, Excel version that illustrates the ADRV statistics in an interactive fashion. The Report illustrates doping offences committed in a global sport during 2016. It highlights that there were a total of 1,595 ADRVs recorded in that year, involving individuals from 117 nationalities and across 112 sports. 1,326 of the ADRVs were derived from AAFs, commonly known as ‘positive’ results. The remainder were derived from investigations and evidence-based intelligence into 248 violations committed by athletes and 21 by Athlete Support Personnel (ASP). WADA President Sir Craig Reedie said: “The 2016 ADRVs Report makes for particularly interesting reading in combination with WADA’s 2016 Anti-Doping Testing Figures Report that was published last year. We are continuing to see the impact of intelligence-based testing, an area of increasing focus for the Agency as we strengthen our investigations and intelligence-gathering capacity. “While in- and out-of-competition testing remains critical to detecting doping, recent events have shown that investigative work is becoming ever more important as we look to protect clean athletes’ rights worldwide.” The Report includes the decisions of all AAFs for which the samples were collected by Anti-Doping Organizations in 2016 as well as non-analytical ADRVs for decisions rendered in 2016. The front of the Report comprises an introduction and an executive summary highlighting the key data. The first and second sections present the Results Management outcomes (including ADRVs) of all AAFs detected by WADA-accredited Laboratories for samples collected in 2016 from athletes in- and out-of-competition. They are presented by sport, discipline (Section 1) and Testing Authority (Section 2). Section 3 includes ADRVs that resulted from non-analytical findings committed by athletes (presented by sport and nationality) and by ASP (presented by nationality). Section 4 indicates the total number of ADRVs in 2016, which includes AAFs that resulted in an ADRV plus all non-analytical ADRVs. It presents the data by sport and nationality. It is further broken down into type of samples (urine or blood), type of test (in- or out-of-competition) and athlete gender.   Consult the Full Report in PDF, the dynamic Report in Excel, the Overview and the Questions & Answers document. Source: https://www.wada-ama.org/ Weightlifting was the 4th most tested sport while the IWF is the 6th Summer Olympic IF with the highest number of tests carried out. The vast major of adverse analytical findings (79 percent) were produced by male athletes (1,046) and were the results of results collected during in-competition testing (78 percent). Athletics topped the list of sports with the highest number of ADRVs on 205 followed by bodybuilding (183), cycling (165), weightlifting (116) and soccer (79). Rounding out the top nine were powerlifting (70), wrestling (64), rugby union (56), aquatics (35) and boxing 35). Italy topped the list of countries with the most ADRVs on 147 followed by France (86), the United States (76) and Australia

Karoliina Lundahl enters the Finnish Weightlifting Hall of Fame

The Finnish Weightlifting Federation invited Ms Karoliina Lundahl, a two-time World Champion and European Champion also Member of the IWF Executive Board into the Finnish Hall of Fame.   Lundahl is the first Finnish female European and World Champion as well as the first Finnish female European and World Record holder. Lundahl joins other prominent Finnish lifters to the Hall of Fame such as Juhani Vellamo (1912-2004) who was the first Finnish World Championship medalist; Eino Mäkinen (1926-2014) who was the first Finnish European Champion; Jaakko Kailajärvi (1941- ) who was the first Finnish World Record Holder; and Kaarlo Kangasniemi (1941- ) who was the first Finnish Olympic Champion.         Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

New AWF Headquarters in Bangkok

Attila Adamfi, IWF Director General paid a visit to the Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) Secretariat’s new Headquarter in Bangkok, Thailand.   He was received by Boossaba Yodbangtoey AWF General Secretary, Niwat Limsuknirun AWF Director General and members of the professional colleagues hired to better serve the Asian weightlifting community. The IWF assures its full professional support to the newly established Secretariat under the leadership of Boossaba Yodbangtoey. Identifying key areas, AWF General Secretary already started her work ensuring a close cooperation with the countries while providing major assistance when requested.     Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

The IWF and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport Announce Collaboration to Combat Doping

The IWF is pleased to announce a new agreement with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES). Through this collaboration, the CCES will monitor athlete whereabouts compliance, develop a test distribution plan in collaboration with the IWF’s Anti-Doping Committee, implement that plan and organize all out-of-competition testing. “The CCES is proud of IWF’s commitment to clean sport,” said Paul Melia, President and CEO of the CCES. “We are looking forward to working with IWF to develop a robust testing program and promoting clean sport in weightlifting.” “The decision to move key elements of the IWF’s anti-doping operations into the hands of a trusted third party is the latest demonstration of how far the IWF is prepared to go to deliver on our commitment to protect clean athletes. This agreement to work with the CCES was recommended, in turn, by the independent Clean Sport Commission that examined weightlifting last year. I believe we can be very proud of the way the IWF has implemented the Commission’s recommendations and we look forward to fruitful cooperation with the CCES,” said IWF President Tamas Ajan. “The CCES is very happy to have developed collaboration with the IWF. Partnerships are a powerful way to strengthen collective efforts and an effective approach to sharing knowledge and expertise,” said Melia. About the CCES The CCES is an independent, national, not-for-profit organization with a responsibility to administer the Canadian Anti-Doping Program. We recognize that true sport can make a great difference for individuals, communities and our country. We are committed to working collaboratively to activate a values-based and principle-driven sport system; protecting the integrity of sport from the negative forces of doping and other unethical threats; and advocating for sport that is fair, safe and open to everyone. Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

AWF Executive Board Meeting and Congress

The AWF Executive Board Meeting and Congress were held on 22nd April 2018 in Urgench, Uzbekistan. On this occasion, Boossaba Yodbangtoey, AWF General Secretary opened the meeting with a minute of silence in memory of Aleksandr Kurlovich who passed away recently. Mohamed Jalood, IWF General Secretary delivered a speech to the Executive Board and draw the attention of the Member Federations on the importance of the fight against doping and the ADAMS System and Whereabouts to be handled on a more professional manner. Shakhrillo Makhmudov, AWF Vice President and Uzbekistan Weightlifting Federation President, host of the 2018 Asian Junior and Youth Championships gave information about the competition. The AWF Secretariat under the leadership of Boossaba Yodbangtoey will provide all necessary help to the Asian countries regarding education by creating a coordination center in Bangkok, Thailand. Representing the IWF, Lilla Rozgonyi, Communications and Marketing Director gave an inclusive report on the Tokyo 2020 Qualification System in order to prepare the participating countries to the upcoming changes. The competition kicked out today with a Youth Asian and World Record in the Clean and Jerk with 128kg made by DO Tu Tung (VIE) in the Boy’s 50kg bodyweight category. You can follow the competition live on the IWF Youtube

How Mirabai chose weightlifting over archery

Mirabai’s story is not about somebody being spotted for prodigal talent, but of someone who sought out the opportunity and the right mentor. Mirabai’s story is not about somebody being spotted for prodigal talent, but of someone who sought out the opportunity and the right mentor. As a 13-year-old girl, from a poor family at the nondescript Nongpok Kakching village, around 20km from Manipur’s capital Imphal, Mirabai decided early, in her life, that she would earn fame as a sportsperson. In search of a sports facility and a mentor, she travelled with a cousin to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre, at Khuman Lampak in Imphal, in early 2008, and the rest is history. “All my brothers and cousins play football, but they would come back home dirty after a day’s play. I wanted to play a sport which is neat and clean. At first, I wanted to be an archer, as they are neat and clean, and stylish,” Mirabai said, in an interview. “They just stand and shoot. So, one day, I and my cousin went to the SAI Centre, at Khuman Lampak in Imphal. However, I could not meet any archer, as there was no archery training that day,” she recalled. “Then, at that time, I saw some clippings of Kunajarani Devi’s exploits in the international arena and that influenced me to take up to weightlifting. So, after a few days, I and my cousin, again, went to the weightlifting training centre and luckily, I met (former international weightlifter and current coach) Anita Chanu, and she initiated me into the sport,” said Mirabai, now 23. Manipur Weightlifting Association General Secretary Sunil Elangbam, who has tracked Mirabai’s career throughout, said, “When she came for archery training, as far as I remember, it was a rainy day or training camp had finished earlier. Sometimes, luck also plays a part in an athlete’s career. It is good Mirabai could not be an archer and she took to weightlifting.” However, Mirabai had to toil hard, at that young age, to adjust her training to her school schedule. “I had to reach the training centre every day, at 6 am and change bus twice from my village, on a 22km journey. It was tough initially, but I adjusted. Also, I consider myself a strong girl. When I grew up, I did stuff like wood cutting, at nearby hills, bringing them up by myself and then fetching water from nearby ponds, in milk powder cans,” said Mirabai, who is currently training at NIS Patiala. She was also told by her coach, Anita, to bring a bamboo trunk along for training, something that she built herself. “She told me to bring bamboo trunks, to be used as barbells, for technique training. In weightlifting, you have to start with technique training, building body strength comes later.” “I had to find some nice bamboo trees near my house and cut them, and prepare to be used as a kind of a barbell. This continued for around a month. Once the technical training was done, I shifted to normal training,” said Mirabai. At most of the training centres, in the country, young beginners had to use light objects, in the shape of a barbell, to teach how to have a grip and other basic techniques. Mirabai, who is currently a Chief Ticket Inspector in the Indian Railways, rose quickly to become a world-class weightlifter, steadily. From a total lift of 170kg, for a silver in the 2014 CWG in Glasgow, she came up with 186kg, to win gold in the 2016 Senior Nationals, after a disappointing show at the Rio Olympics. She won the Commonwealth Championships gold in Australia, in July 2017, with a total lift of 189 kg (85+104), and then went on to become only the second Indian, after Karnam Malleswari, to win a gold at the World Championships in USA, in November 2017, with a total lift of 194kg (85+109). Mirabai bettered it at the Gold Coast CWG to 196kg (86kg+110kg) and she is now aiming to lift over 200kg at the Asian Games, later, in 2018, which she says, will be done by improving her hand and leg movement coordination, during jerk lifts. “All top competitors, in Asian Games, will be there in Olympics, and if I win gold in Asian Games, I will have the confidence to win gold in Olympics also. However, to do that, I cannot remain at 196kg.” “I have no weakness in the snatch, which is all about technique. However, I have to sort out my weakness in the jerk. I can do 115kg in clean, but I am not being able to do it in the jerk. I have to work on my hand and leg movement coordination, during jerk. If I do that, I will be able to lift 115kg in clean and jerk, and that should take my total lift above 200kg,” she said. Talking about her CWG performance, she said, “I was very confident to win the gold. I was nervous at the Rio Olympics. However, after winning gold in World Championships, I was very confident and sure of winning a gold in the CWG.” Mirabai is not perturbed or distracted by the frequent dope tests she had to undergo, at NIS Patiala. “WADA testers come twice or thrice in two months, but NADA comes very frequently. I am not at all worried or distracted by all these. I am a clean athlete.” Source: http://www.sportstarlive.com/ Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter