News

IWF reiterates commitment to anti-doping on final day of Executive Board meeting

1 October 2017; Bucharest Romania: The IWF Executive Board (EB) meeting in Bucharest, Romania concluded today with anti-doping remaining top of the agenda as the federation continues to demonstrate its commitment to ensuring weightlifting is a clean sport. During the meeting, the IWF Clean Sport Commission, which is composed of independent experts in the field of anti-doping, presented their interim report to the EB. The Commission aims to identify innovative and pioneering ways to protect clean athletes by making anti-doping testing more accurate, more efficient and more transparent. The Commission is focused on driving forward recommendations in the following fields in order to ensure a level playing field for athletes: Potential changes in the IWF Anti-Doping Policy Anti-Doping Education – shifting the culture through targeted spread of knowledge Sample Collection Analytical innovations Following the presentation, the IWF EB and the IWF Anti-Doping Commission reiterated its commitment to the creation of an Independent Testing Authority. The IWF Sport Programme Commission also presented their scope of work and working plan to the IWF EB for approval. The Commission’s primary focus is to address the weightlifting event programme and allocated athlete-quota for Tokyo 2020. But, it will also look beyond 2020 and identify innovative ways to refresh the event programme to make it more attractive to global audiences. More details from the two Commissions will be released over the coming months. Speaking following the conclusion of the EB meeting, IW President Tamas Ajan said: “This has been a very productive meeting for the IWF and we have been greatly encouraged by the progress that has been made – particularly by the Clean Sport and Sport Programme Commissions. In a very short space of time they have already begun to identify improvements we can make that will protect and benefit our sport. It is important that as a sport we address our issues and that we put the measures in place to ensure our sport is clean today and in the future.” During today’s meeting the IWF EB also appointed Chairs for a number of its Commissions, which are charged with finding ways to ensure the ongoing development and advancement of the sport worldwide. The IWF EB confirmed the following appointments: Athletes’ Commission Chair: Pyrros Dimas / Deputy Chair: Tom Goegebuer Women’s Commission Chair: Ursula Papandrea Disciplinary and Ethics Commission Chair: - Birendra Prasad Baishya Membership Commission Chair: Petr Krol Development and Education Commission Chair: Jose Quinones Marketing Commission Chair: Zhanat Tussupbekov Intercontinental Committee Chair: Dr Tamas Ajan Coaching and Research Committee Chair: Kamal Mahmoud Mahgoub / Deputy Chair: Karoliina Lundahl The final decision of the IWF EB was to award the hosting rights of the 2018 IWF Junior World Championships to Uzbekistan. The Junior World Championships had originally been awarded two years ago to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In its report submitted to the EB today, the Anti-Doping Commission expressed its willingness and dedication to cooperate with the Independent Testing Authority in the future. The EB unanimously backed this decision thus highlighting the importance of this future

IWF Executive Board upholds decision related to Member Federations which have produced three or more retesting cases

IWF takes latest step in ongoing anti-doping reform to encourage the protection of clean athletes 30 September 2017; Bucharest, Romania: The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Executive Board (EB) today unanimously decided that Member Federations (MFs) found to have produced three or more Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRV) in the combined re-analysis process of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games shall be suspended for one year. The MFs which have been identified as such are currently Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. The IWF EB meeting took place in Bucharest with anti-doping at the very top of the agenda.The Tbilisi Commission which had been appointed by the EB in April had conducted a thorough investigation into the matter and presented its recommendation to the EB today. The EB is now drafting the reasoned decisions which are scheduled to be sent to the MFs and to take effect in mid-October. The IWF is fully committed to protecting clean athletes and is implementing robust anti-doping measures at both international and Member Federation level to address the incidence of doping in the sport. IWF President Tamas Ajan said: “At the IWF we have made it clear that the incidence of doping in some areas is totally unacceptable and that our Members have a responsibility to ensure clean sport in their countries. If they do not fulfil their responsibilities to ensure their lifters are clean then they will lose their right to participate. But we will not turn our backs on them; we will continue to work with them, WADA and their National Anti-Doping Agencies to support their anti-doping activities and help make cultural change. “There is no doubt that the IWF Anti-Doping Programme has advanced enormously since Beijing 2008 and London 2012. The culture of the sport has already changed in many places over the last ten years. But we are committed to doing more and we will do more. Through our Clean Sport Commission we are not just looking at how we overcome current issues but how we can innovate with new testing and anti-doping measures for the benefit of all sport.” Context and timeline of the “Tbilisi Decision” On 22 June 2016 the IWF Executive Board outlined a Policy related to the results of the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 reanalysis, the so called “Tbilisi Decision”: “IWF Executive Board has decided that National Federations (NFs)* confirmed to have produced 3 or more Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRV) in the combined re-analysis process of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games shall be suspended for 1 year” Before the Olympic Games in Rio, only two of the reanalysis cases were closed by IOC.  The last IOC decisions became final on 28 August 2017. In the meantime, three countries filed appeals with the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the EB's decision of 22 June 2016. CAS rendered its award in March 2017 on which the IWF EB immediately started its follow-up measures. During its meeting of 2 April 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand, the Executive Board outlined the principles of the procedure to be applied in respect of potential breaches of the Policy and decided to appoint a Committee composed of three Members to investigate any potential breach of the Policy and make recommendations to the Executive Board for decision. The Commission conducted a thorough investigation discussed during its meetings of 9 June and 9 September. The outcome was presented to the IWF EB and approved unanimously

Coaching Education Course in Cape Town, South Africa

In the framework of the IWF Development Program a 4-days coaching course was held in Cape Town, South Africa on 13-16 September with 10 participants from 5 African countries (South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Mauritius, Swaziland). Mr. Tamas Feher , former British Head Coach as lecturer gave theoretical and practical sessions on the following topics for all attendees: Basic training methodology Technical teaching of beginner weightlifters (theoretical and practical) Main exercises of weightlifting training (theoretical and practical) Training principles of the weightlifting training Weightlifter’s main conditional abilities Strength development in weightlifting Training planning in weightlifting Preparation of an advanced athlete After the very informative and educational course the participants received certificates at the end of the

Happy Birthday to Manfred Nerlinger

Manfred Nerlinger was born 57 years ago on September 27, 1960 in Münich. This outstanding German weightlifter weight almost 150kg at the peak of his career and stood on the podium three times on the occasion of four Olympic Games. Between 1982 - 1996, he won 30 medals at World Championships. He started his sports career in 1973 and his biggest achievement was at the Soul 1988 Olympic Games where he won a Silver Medal. At the 1984 Los Angeles Games he won Bronze medal just like in Barcelona in 1992. At his final Olympic Competition in 1996 Atlanta he finished sixth. He competed at World Championships eleven times and European Championships ten times. Out of his 15 and 12 medals from World and European Championships four (2-2) were Gold. In 1993 he set a new World Record with a Total of 247,5 kg and set National records 37 times. After 2000, he continued as a coach and trained the youth generation in Germany. He is married and has two children. We wish a very happy birthday to Manfred

The 26th World Championships happened exactly 70 years ago

70 years ago the IWF organized its World Championships in Philadelphia, USA. In 1947 it was only a two days competition with 39 men representing 12 countries.  As a matter of fact, in all six bodyweight categories Americans won Gold as well as three Silver and one Bronze Medal. One Silver and one Bronze was awarded to Canada and South –Korea respectively while the rest of the podium was filled by athletes from four other countries: British Guinea finished second and Czechoslovakia, Finland and Great-Britain third. The list of the World Champions seventy years ago: 56 kg bodyweight category Joseph DePietro  Total 300 kg 60 kg bodyweight category Robert Higgins   310.0 kg 67.5 kg bodyweight category Pete George   352.5 kg 75 kg bodyweight category Stanley Stanczyk  405 kg 82.5 kg bodyweight category John Terpak   387.5 kg +82.5 kg bodyweight category John Davis   455

USA training camp Las Vegas

Unique training program available to athletes before World Championships in Anaheim, California, USA. Dear National Federation Friends, The 2017 IWF World Championships organizing committee is holding a Training Camp, priced much lower than the World Championships at $115 per day in Las Vegas, Nevada. We have capacity to host many teams for around the world. My colleagues from the Organizing Committee have an email below on this matter, but we would be happy to answer any questions you may have. We look forward to welcoming you to Las Vegas and Anaheim in the United States this year. In 2015, the National Federations of India, Estonia, Turkey, Egypt and of course the USA took the opportunity for the training camp. Las Vegas is at a similar climate and elevation to the city of Anaheim. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask via email or alternatively to my colleague Suzy Sanchez – [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Estimados Amigos de la Federación Nacional: El comité organizador del Campeonato Mundial 2017 de la IWF está llevando a cabo un Campamento de Entrenamiento, con precios mucho más bajos que los Campeonatos del Mundo en $ 115 por día en Las Vegas, Nevada. Tenemos capacidad para albergar a muchos equipos en todo el mundo. Mis colegas del Comité Organizador tienen un correo electrónico a continuación sobre este asunto, pero estaremos encantados de contestar cualquier pregunta que usted pueda tener. Esperamos darle la bienvenida a Las Vegas y Anaheim en Estados Unidos este año. En 2015, las Federaciones Nacionales de la India, Estonia, Turquía, Egipto y por supuesto los Estados Unidos aprovecharon la oportunidad para el campo de entrenamiento. Las Vegas está en un clima similar y la elevación a la ciudad de Anaheim. Si tiene alguna pregunta por favor no dude en preguntar por devolución de correo electrónico o alternativamente a mi colega Suzy Sanchez [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Дорогие друзья из Национальной федерации: Оргкомитет 2017 года IWF World Championships проводит тренировочный лагерь, который стоит гораздо ниже, чем чемпионат мира по 115 долларов в день в Лас-Вегасе, штат Невада. У нас есть возможности для размещения многих команд по всему миру. У моих коллег из Оргкомитета есть электронное письмо по этому вопросу, но мы будем рады ответить на любые ваши вопросы. Мы с нетерпением ждем возможности приветствовать вас в Лас-Вегасе и Анахайме в Соединенных Штатах в этом году. В 2015 году национальные федерации Индии, Эстонии, Турции, Египта и, конечно, США воспользовались возможностью для тренировочного лагеря. Лас-Вегас находится в аналогичном климате и возвышается до города Анахайм. Если у вас есть какие-либо вопросы, пожалуйста, не стесняйтесь спрашивать по возвращении по электронной почте или в качестве альтернативы моему коллеге Сьюзи Санчес - [email protected] Phil Andrews Chief Executive Officer USA