News

Mid-2009 Commonwealth rankings and records

Herewith the mid-year listings of the current Commonwealth records, as well as the 2009 Commonwealth ranking lists (top-25 absolute and one-per-nation per weight category, both for men and women) are avaible by Michael Noonan, Record Keeper & Statistician of Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation. 2009 Commonwealth Rankings as at 01 July.pdfCommonwealth records as at 01 July

Shailaja to be dropped from 2010 CWG elite list

Four top women lifters of India are dropped from the core group for the 2010 Commonwealth GamesPreparations after they failed to report for the national camp in time, Indian Weightlifting Federation said. Pujari, Renubala Chanu, S Yamini and Shristi Singh were among 60 elite lifters selected for 2010 CWG training which started in February but the quartet did not turn up for the camp at Patiala despite given an extended time to join. Pujari won three gold in 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games in 75 kg while Renu Bala won gold in the 2006 Melbourne Games in 58 kg. Yamini won a bronze in 58 kg in the National Championships in Pune early this year while Shristi Singh earned a silver in 69 kg in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune last year. Their hopes of taking part in 2010 CWG are as good as over with President Harbhajan saying that any lifter outside the elite list would not be considered unless he or she came up with some extraordinary performance in national championships later this year. Their participation in regional competitions is controlled by WADA/NADA rules. Their participation in CWG 2010 depends on their selection by the National Selection Committee and clearance by

AUSTRALIAN WEIGHTLIFTING ANNOUCES INAUGURAL PATRON

The Australian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) is delighted to announce Her Excellency; Ms. Quentin Bryce, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia has accepted the inaugural position of Patron of the Australian Weightlifting Federation. Having been sworn in as the 25th Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia on 05 September 2008, Her Excellency is the first woman to hold the position. Born and educated in Brisbane, Her Excellency also held the position of Governor of Queensland from 2003 to 2008.Within this previous capacity, Her Excellency attended the 2007 Australian Championships held in Brisbane. "This is tremendous news for Weightlifting nationally as it confirms our credibility and position in the Australian sporting community" said AWF President, Robert

Do not miss this party!

On 14 August 2009, the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee will be organising a One Year Countdown event to commemorate 365 days to the first Youth Olympic Games. Join in the countdown to the inaugural Youth Olympic Games.Event details:Date: Friday, 14 August 2009 - Time: 5pm to 9pmVenue: The Padang, Connaught DriveCount down to Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games at the Padang, Singapore:Unveiling of Countdown Clock· The countdown clock for the first YOG in Olympic history, sponsored by Omega, will be unveiledOne-Year Countdown at 8.10pm· A spectacular display of lights, sound and action as the countdown takes placeCommemorate Olympic Day· Celebrate this historic milestone for the Olympic Movement by cheering the runners in the Olympic day run which ends at the Padang Youth Olympic Games Carnival· Join our youth talents, Olympians, sports personalities and local celebrities in sporting fun and celebrations at the Padang YOG Celebration Concert and Party The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, from 14 to 26 August 2010, will receive some 5,000 athletes and officials from 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), along with estimated 800 media representatives, 20,000 local and international volunteers, and more than 500,000 spectators. Athletes - aged between 14 and 18 years - will compete in 26 sports and take part in a Culture and Education Programme. The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is a new initiative by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to engage the youth of the world through the twin pillars ofsports, and culture and education. It is a new highlight on the world's sporting calendar and Singapore is the first host city. You may visit website at www.singapore2010.sg.

Technical Officials to be nominated for 2009 Goyang WWC

National Federations may propose Technical Officials to work at the 2009 Goyang World Championships (19-29 November), to be held in Goyang City, Korea. The IWF's Calling Letter tells about the conditions of the nomination. The Nomination Form is downloadable. Deadline: 19 August

Latest of the Contreras case

Dominican weightlifter Yuderqui Contreras has cleared her name after the International Olympic Committee announced that Contreras' B sample came up as negative during tests in Paris. Contreras' A sample, taken shortly after the 2008 Beijing Olympics tested positive for the performance enhancing drug CERA. There had also been much controversy and suspicion surrounding Contreras because the weightlifter trained in Bulgaria under coach Constantin Darov, but the Bulgarian national team didn't compete in weightlifting events because of a doping scandal. A negative result on her B sample clears any doubts about Contreras and ends months of embarrassment and accusations of cheating. "I can't express my joy after I received the call from journalist Dionisio Soldevilla to tell me about the medical commission's decision." Contreras has always maintained her innocence and said she was confident she would be exonerated. She said she was not interested in winning a medal using banned substances. Yuderqui Contreras came fifth in the 53kg category in the Beijing Olympics. ........................................................ IOC Legal Department informed the IWF, the Dominican Olympic Committee as well as the athlete (Ms. Yudelquis Maridalin CONTRERAS) that under the current circumstamces - B sample analyses report did not confirm the A sample CERA positive - the scheduled hearing has been cancelled. The formal decision from the IOC will follow in due time. ........................................................... Examinations of the b-sample have confirmed that cyclists Stefan Schumacher and Davide Rebellin, as well as 1,500 metres Olympic champion Rashid Ramzi and two other athletes, have tested positive for the latest generation of the blood booster EPO. (FAZ), The German was caught for using CERA at retests of Tour de France 2008 samples and of those retested by the International Olympic Committee from the Beijing Olympics. Italy's Rebellin, the Bahrain runner Ramzi, Greek walker Athanasia Tsoumeleka and Croatian 800m runner Vanja Perisic were also caught in the IOC retests, with the b-sample confirming the original finding, according to the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The former world champion Ramzi won 1,500m gold in Beijing while Rebellin got a cycling silver in China. The other three did not get medal, but Schumacher won both time trials at the 2008 Tour before being disqualified. Weightlifter Yudelquis Contreras of the Dominican Republic also submitted a positive a-sample, but the b-test was announced to be negative. The athlete was cleared. The IOC keeps drug samples for eight years and they are subject to retests when new test methods are introduced. The tests for CERA were made available after the Olympics last August. (Earth Times)further details: http://www.olympic.org/uk/includes/common/article_print_uk.asp?id=3009