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Mohammed Jalood brilliantly re-elected as IWF President

Mohammed Jalood was re-elected as the IWF President for the period 2025-2029, after receiving 168 votes from the delegates present at the IWF Electoral Congress, taking place this weekend in Riyadh (KSA). First elected at the helm of our International Federation in June 2022, Mr Jalood couldn’t hide his emotion after receiving such an outstanding level of support from the National Federations’ representatives present in the Saudi capital and a few others also attending the Congress online. “I am of course immensely happy and honoured with the confidence and trust the Congress awarded me, but, most importantly, this result demonstrates the unity in the weightlifting family and the satisfaction for the immense work we have done in recent years,” declared Mr Jalood, a former athlete, coach and administrator from Iraq. IWF President Mohammed Jalood after the announcement of his victory After the successful presidential election, the remaining composition of the 2025-2029 Executive Board was also defined by the vote of the participating delegates. For the two next major positions, Mr José Quiñones (PER), President of the Pan-American Weightlifting Federation was elected the new IWF General Secretary, while Ms Ursula Papandrea (USA) was reconducted as the IWF First Vice-President. The two new IWF Vice-Presidents are Mr Mohammed Al-Harbi, from Saudi Arabia and former member of the Board, and Mr Chengliang Liu (CHN), a new entry in this body. The 2025-2029 IWF Executive Board The list of the remaining 12 members of the 2025-2029 IWF Executive Board comprises:Ms Wen Hsin Chang (TPE)Mr Matthew Curtain (GBR) Mr Pyrros Dimas (GRE) Ms Gardencia Du Plooy (RSA) Ms Yassiny Esquivel (CRC) Ms Karolina Lundahl (FIN) Mr Shakhrillo Makhmudov (UZB) Mr Florian Sperl (GER)Ms Sirilak Thatman (THA) Mr Boukar Tikire (CMR)Mr Jerry Wallwork (SAM)Mr Luis Zambrano (ECU) Besides the 17 members elected at today’s Congress, the IWF EB also includes five additional Vice-Presidents, each of them leading their respective continental federation, and three members of the IWF Athletes Commission (including its Chair).  IWF Ordinary Congress The IWF Ordinary Congress, taking place earlier in the day, was officially opened by HH Prince Fahad bin Jalawi Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Vice-President of Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, who welcomed all delegates to Riyadh and highlighted the commitment of the Saudi sport authorities to promote weightlifting in the country. IWF President Mohammed Jalood with HH Prince Fahad bin Jalawi Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud The IWF President and IWF General Secretary then addressed the audience about the work of the 2022-2025 Executive Board and the positive consequence it brought for the permanence of our sport in the Olympic programme. “We are presently a respected Sport, abiding by the highest standards in terms of good governance and fight against doping, just to name the main two areas that caused us many problems in the past,” considered Mr Jalood. The outgoing General Secretary Antonio Urso also spoke about the great improvements made by the IWF in recent years. “This was done in a spirit of unity and great passion for our Sport. I will keep this wonderful weightlifting family forever in my heart,” confessed Mr Urso. In a video message sent to the Congress, the IOC President Thomas Bach confirmed that weightlifting was of “significant importance” for the overall success of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. “You can be proud of the achievements of your athletes,” declared Mr Bach, who is soon leaving the IOC presidency. “I hope you can maintain the same level of co-operation with my successor, IOC President-Elect Ms Kirsty Coventry. From my side, I will now enjoy watching your sport as a big fan of it,” concluded Mr Bach. Stian Grimseth presenting the 2025 IWF World Championships The Congress then approved the independent audit of the 2024 Financial Statements, and the lifting of the suspension status for the National Federations of Gambia, Liberia, Maldives, Mauritania and Senegal, and the approval of membership for the National Federation of Equatorial Guinea. The delegates were also briefed on the latest stage of preparation for the 2025 IWF World Championships, to be staged in October in Forde (NOR). Moreover, interesting presentations were delivered by SBD, IWF Official Partner and Supplier, Eleiko, IWF Official Supplier and ZKC, IWF Official Supplier. In recognition of the Saudi authorities’ continuous support to weightlifting, the IWF awarded its Gold Collar to HH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Sports Minister and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and to HH Prince Fahad bin Jalawi Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. José Quiñones and Antonio Urso receiving their Hall of Fame Certificate Finally, for their long, valuable and tireless services within the IWF and the weightlifting family in general, Antonio Urso and José Quiñones, President of the Pan-American Weightlifting Federation, were inducted into the Weightlifting Hall of Fame. IWF

IWF120y/103 – 2021: Akbar Djuraev, the best so far for Uzbekistan

Taking part in the Olympic Games as an independent nation since 1996, Uzbekistan has successfully amassed a total of 49 medals so far. Four come from weightlifting and Akbar Djuraev is responsible for half of them. Born in October 1999, the Uzbek star had a very successful junior career, winning the silver in the 2018 world championships in this age group, and then the gold in the 2019 edition. In both years, he was fourth at the IWF (senior) Worlds. Arrived at the Tokyo 2020ne Games, he competed in the 109kg category and convincingly became the Olympic champion (photo) in 193-237-430. The success in Japan was followed by two world titles in 2021 and 2023. Qualified for the Paris 2024 rendezvous in the 102kg category, he had a solid competition in the French capital, clinching the silver in 185-219-404, just 2kg less than the winner (China’s Liu Huanhua). He is the only lifter from Uzbekistan with two Olympic medals so far. Despite his great feats, he was not the first lifter from his country to reach the top of the Games hierarchy – in 2016, in Rio de Janeiro (BRA), Ruslan Nurudinov gave the first-ever gold in the sport for Uzbekistan. In 2013, he was also the first world champion for his nation, an achievement he repeated on two other occasions (2022 and 2024). Closing the Olympic medal count for Uzbekistan, Ivan Efremov was on the other hand the first Uzbek lifter to climb to a Games podium, after earning a bronze medal in London 2012 (in the 105kg category). At the World Championships level, Uzbekistan has a total of 16 medals (only considering Total results) – two of them were obtained in the last edition of the event, in Manama (BRN) in

IWF Statement

The IWF is firmly opposed to the organisation of the 2026 Enhanced games (where the sport of Weightlifting was announced in the programme) and the danger it poses not just to athlete health but the integrity of sport. Weightlifting is rooted in the values of transparency, respect and fair competition. These principles are non-negotiable. The Enhanced games, on the contrary, can potentially put the lives of athletes at risk for supposed entertainment and threaten to undermine trust in the future of sport and the performances of clean athletes. Over recent years, the IWF has taken decisive action to strengthen integrity and clean sport across all levels of weightlifting. Today, our systems are more robust and transparent than ever before, and we remain fully committed to continuous improvement. We invite athletes and fans of our sport to witness true strength and integrity at the 2025 IWF World Championships this October in Forde (NOR), where fair competition will continue to inspire the next generation around the

Last meeting of the 2022-2025 IWF Executive Board held today in Riyadh (KSA)

One day before the 2025 IWF Electoral Congress in Riyadh (KSA), the last meeting of the 2022-2025 Executive Board took place today in the Saudi capital. In the two-hour gathering, the IWF President Mohammed Jalood heartfully thanked his colleagues for the “extraordinary work and unity” during the three-year term. “This Board literally saved our Sport and fought hard to keep weightlifting in the Olympic programme. I am very proud to lead such a fantastic team, with such a motivation, dedication and true passion for our Sport,” Mr Jalood also stated. Special thanks were addressed to IWF General Secretary Antonio Urso, and members Sam Coffa (also Chair of the Technical Committee) and Fathi Masmoudi, who will not be candidates to any future position within the IWF structure. “Their contribution has been outstanding and they will be forever part of our family!” the IWF President stated. IWF Executive Board Meeting in Riyadh (KSA) Mr Urso, also on an emotional tone, then took the floor and praised the “intense, rewarding and joyful years with so many friends and true supporters of Weightlifting. I will take you forever in my heart,” confessed the IWF General Secretary. After being greeted by the host of the IWF presence in Riyadh – “I want you all to feel at home in Saudi Arabia – my team and I will make our best to offer you and all delegates to the Congress the best possible conditions,” said IWF EB Member and President of Saudi Arabia Weightlifting Federation Mohammed Al-Harbi -, the EB proceeded with the discussions of the agenda items. They included the approval of the Membership Commission’s recommendation on the status of some National Federations, the ratification of the external and independent audit of the 2024 Financial Statements, the discussion on the Electoral Congress procedures, and the update on the celebrations of the IWF’s 120th anniversary. The IWF President also briefed the Board about his recent visit to Turkmenistan, where he had the opportunity to meet with the President of the country, Mr Serdar Berdimuhamedow. In a very “constructive dialogue” between the two dignitaries, the Head of State emphasised his nation’s passion for weightlifting, the sport that has brought the sole medal for Turkmenistan at the Olympics – by Polina Guryeva, second at the 2020 Tokyo Games in the women’s 59kg category. “The country and its President are very keen to host future IWF events in the near future and I told Mr Berdimuhamedow that we will seriously consider the possibility of Turkmenistan organising a qualification event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games,” explained Mr Jalood. In 2018, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan’s capital, successfully hosted the IWF World Championships. IWF President being received by the President of Turkmenistan, Mr Serdar Berdimuhamedow (top), and meeting the Turkmenistan Weightlifting Federation representatives The IWF Ordinary and Electoral Congresses are taking place this weekend in Riyadh, where delegates from about 180 countries will vote on a new IWF Executive Board, as well as the IWF Committees and Commissions for the next four years. Live feed of these meetings will be available on IWF’s YouTube channel.   IWF

IWF120y/102 – 2024: Maude Charron enters in the Canadian weightlifting pantheon

The Canadian achievements at the Olympics are normally rather associated with other sports than with weightlifting (athletics, swimming, or ice hockey, just to name a few), but lifters from the maple leaf country have already earned six medals in the Games. Four of them were won by two remarkable women: Christine Girard and Maude Charron (photo). They are so far the only two Olympic weightlifting champions for their country – Girard in 2012 and Charron in 2020ne. Member of the IWF Athletes Commission, Maude Charron lifted 105-131-236 in Tokyo (in the 64kg category), and became the most successful Canadian lifter in 2024, after clinching the silver in the 59kg with a Total of 106-130-236 in Paris. At the world level, Charron (born in April 1993) won a bronze in 2022 – she was also champion at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games. If Charron could properly enjoy her award ceremonies, that was not the case for Christina Girard. Also with two medals – besides the gold in London, she was a bronze medallist in Beijing 2008 -, they were given to Girard on a ‘delayed’ mode: in 2008, she had finished fourth, and in 2012 she was initially third. In 2016, a re-analysis of samples from both Olympics revealed that other athletes with medals had tested positive for prohibited substances. This led to the upgrade of Girard, who received in 2018 the gold medal for the London 2012 and the bronze for the Beijing 2008 Games. Moreover, she was first at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2011 Pan-American Games. Before these two ‘golden’ ladies, Canada had medalled on two occasions at the Olympics: in 1952, with Gerry Gratton, and in 1984 with Jacques Demers, both with a silver

IWF120y/101 – 1956: Mahmoud Namdjou (IRI), one of the best lifters of the decade

After World War II and for most of the 1950s, Iran had in Mahmoud Namdjou one of the best lifters in its history. Born in 1918 in Rasht (on the Caspian Sea coast), he moved in 1937 to Tehran and started working as a carpenter. Despite his tiny weight (he competed in the 56kg category), he was strong and took weightlifting in a gym close to his workplace. In parallel, he also competed in bodybuilding, but it was in our sport that the results made him a star in the country. At the 1948 London Games, he made his first Olympic appearance, but he finished fifth, with 82.5-82.5-122.5-287.5. In the two subsequent editions, Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956, he did much better: in Finland, he was second (90-95-122.5-307.5), while in Australia he clinched bronze in 100-102.5-130-332.5. At the World Championships, his achievements were even more impressive: three gold medals in 1949, 1950, and 1951, one silver in 1954, and two bronze in 1955 and 1957 (this last one at home, in the Iranian capital, where he got his best Total at the IWF showcase with 97.5-97.5-125-320). With two more podium presences at the Asian Games – first in 1951 and second in 1958 – Namdjou was also quite successful in establishing new World Records. He improved 11 global marks during his career, including three in the Snatch, five in the Clean and Jerk, and three in the Total (with three lifts). With his gold medal in 1949, he became the first Iranian world champion in weightlifting (at Olympic level, this honour goes to Nassiri in 1968), setting the pace for a tradition of great achievements for the country in our sport. In 1960, he still tried to qualify for the Rome Olympics, but he didn’t manage to take part in his fourth Games. Namdjou died in 1989, aged 70.