News

Rockin’ Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games emblem unveiled

With 1185 days to go, Nanjing has proudly unveiled their rockin' emblem for the second Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2014. Launched with a grand ceremony, broadcast live on national television to audiences across China, the emblem is bursting with color and energy in celebration of you - the youth of today. The clever design also commemorates Nanjing's rich history by incorporating the famous City Gate in the wording. By using each letter ‘n' to symbolize an open gate, the emblem conveys a warm ‘welcome' message, encouraging all future athletes, spectators and audiences from around the world to come together to share in the excitement of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing. Speaking at the grand launch event, President Jacques Rogge said: "This colorful and contemporary logo is the perfect symbol for Nanjing and China as a whole. It represents your passion for sport and culture, and the welcoming City Gates symbolise the warmth and friendliness of the Nanjing people." He continued: "It also represents the energy of the city and the nation, and it is this vibrancy that will inspire young people around the world to join in the celebrations in

Bulgarian Weightlifting Federation’s introductory visit at the IWF headquarters

After a 3 years period of administrative delays, the Bulgarian Ministry of Sport gave the official license to the newly formed Bulgarian Weightlifting Federation lead by President Nedelcho Kolev. On the 20th of May 2011, President Nedelcho Kolev accompanied by General Secretary Borislav Gidikov and International Director Sevdalin Marinov made an official visit to the IWF headquarters in Budapest, Hungary in order to formalize the cooperation between the Bulgarian Weightlifting Federation and the IWF lead by its President Dr. Tamás Aján. The Bulgarian Federation leaded by Olympic medallists ensured the IWF about their commitment in close cooperation for the benefits of weightlifting sport. IWF President Dr. Tamás Aján holds fruitful relations with President Kolev since 1975, and since more than 30 years with the 2 Olympic Medallists. Both partners expressed their determination of maintaining a successful collaboration in the

LOCOG announced the first 74 locations on the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay route

With one year to go until the Olympic Flame arrives in the UK, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today reveals the dates and locations for the evening celebration events and island visits on the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay route. The announcement of these events and visits is the first stage in confirming the route the Olympic Flame will take around the UK. A list of the first confirmed locations and maps are available for download here The Olympic Flame arrived in the UK from Greece and the 70 day Olympic Torch Relay started at Land's End, Cornwall on the morning of 19 May 2012. On leaving Land's End, the Olympic Flame is expected to travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK giving thousands of communities and individuals their moment to shine as the Olympic Flame comes to a place near them. The Olympic Flame will arrive at the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games. To find out more about the first places to be confirmed on the route go to

Junior World Championships Penang – 38 days to go

7th of June 2011 is the deadline to send your Final Entry Forms to participate in the 2011 IWF Junior World Championships to be held in Penang, Malaysia from 26 June to 7 July. You should send your application form (downloadable from the IWF website) to the address of the Organizing Committee: [email protected] and to the International Weightlifting Federation:[email protected] For more information, go

Highlight on the Arafura Games and Oceania Championships

The Arafura Games, including Oceania Senior, Junior & Youth Championships were held in Darwin, Australia on 11-13th may 2011. The 3 days of competition attracted large crowd. 125 lifters competed during the Games and the Pacific Island lifters - who are based at the institute - achieved excellent results. Yukio Peter (Nauru) in the 77kg category won the best male lifter of the tournament and broke the Commonwealth and Oceania record with a snatch of 157kg. Itte Detenamo (Nauru) in the 105+kg broke all Commonwealth and Oceania records with 184kg snatch, 229kg clean & jerk, 413kg total. The best junior lifter in the tournament was Steven Kari (PNG) who clean & jerked 182kg for a new Commonwealth and Oceania Junior record. The best female lifter went to Ele Opeloge (Samoa) with 275kg total. The team event for the men went to Australia and the team event for the women went to Papua New

Sportcal’s 20 Years of Sport: Samaranch the Most Influential

Juan Antonio Samaranch, the former International Olympic Committee president who died last year, was the most influential sports executive of the last 20 years, according to the results of Sportcal's poll 20 Years of Sport: Who Was the Most Influential? The results of the poll were unveiled at yesterday's 20 Years of Sport event held by Sportcal at the offices of Clifford Chance in London, where almost 200 delegates came together to reflect on the last 20 years of sport and discuss and debate what the next 20 years might look like. Voters were asked to give their top three nominations, in order of merit, along with their reasons for choosing them. Three points were awarded for a first-place vote, two points for a second-place vote and one point for a third-place vote. Samaranch emerged victorious with 101 points to McCormack's 82 points, albeit Samaranch attracted just two more first-place votes than McCormack. It is worth remarking that five of the top 10 (Samaranch, Blatter, Ecclestone, Rogge and Johansson) were primarily involved in sport as organisers and officials, three (Murdoch, Bodenheimer and Sawhney) as broadcasters and two (McCormack and Nally) in an agency capacity. Comments on Samaranch's achievements as a transformative leader of the IOC were typified by the International Weightlifting Federation's Aniko Nemeth-Mora, who wrote: "A charismatic and genial leader, under whose leadership the IOC grew into by far the world's most influential and powerful sports organisation and the Olympic Games the No.1 event (not only in sports); a leader of fantastic diplomatic