News

Explanatory note to IWF Olympic Qualification System

The IWF wishes to add an explanatory note to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Qualification Regulation in order to help its members in better understanding the system. For a clear picture you can refer to the Qualification Regulation, however, we wish to note that in addition to the World and Continental Championships, only the following two IWF Grand Prix Events' results will be considered for the individual Olympic Qualification:2007 IWF World Cup - 26.11-01.12.2007, Apia (SAM)"Good Luck Beijing" Olympic Test Event - 20-24.01.2008, Beijing

Press release – Out of competition test in Greece

Following the endless commitment to fight against doping, specially that 2008 is an Olympic year the IWF conducting numerous Out-of-Competition doping controls in all member countries. As an unfortunate outcome of our strong fight the IWF confirms that an unannounced Out-of-Competition doping control took place in Greece on the 7th March 2008.13 athletes were tested and according WADA accredited laboratory 11 samples were reported to contain prohibited substances.  In accordance with the WADA Anti-Doping Code as long as the cases are in-process (B sample and/or Hearing) the IWF shall have no further

Olympic Champion Péter Baczakó deceased

Hungary's Olympic Champion weightlifter, who took the gold medal in Moscow, 1980, after having won bronze in the Montreal Games in 1976, Péter BACZAKÓ died in Budapest at the young age of 56 years.Baczakó won Hungary's 111th Olympic gold medal, which was at the same time the second Olympic title in weightlifting. He was also three times world champion, European champion and boasted several medals from world and continental championships.After his retirement he coached the Hungarian women's team.Baczakó passed away after having braved a long and serious illness. He is mourned by the entire Hungarian weightlifting and sports community, as well as by the International Weightlifting

Oceania Qualification Championships concluded

Thanks to the enthusiastic New Zealand Federation, the Oceania Championships, at the same time the chance for Olympic qualification for the continent's countries, was held at a high level in Auckland.The Olympic Qualification Team Classification was open till the last but one attempt in the +105kg category where AUS defeted NRU in a dramatic fight with one single point and can so reach Beijing, too.The countries qualified for the Olympics:Women: AUS, PNG, SAM - each with one athleteMen: NZL - with two athletes, AUS, NRU - with one athlete each.Look up the Results

IWF Electoral Congress to be held in Madrid

Four years after the last Electoral Congress (Istanbul, 2005), the International Weightlifting Federation will organise its next most important administrative gathering in Madrid, on 31 March and 1 April 2009.Accepting the invitation and the offer of the Spanish Weightlifting Federation, the Executive Board decided that the IWF Family should meet in Madrid to elect its officials for the next term and approve the updated Constitution, By-Laws and Technical Rules of the Federation.Free of charge accommodation and board will be offered to one representative per National Federation for 4 nights (arrival day: 30 March, Congress sessions 31 March and 1 April, new bodies meetings on 2 April, departure on 3 April

Pawina Thongsuk announces retirement

"I have decided to retire, although I always wanted to compete at these Olympics," Pawina Thongsuk told reporters, with tears running down her face. "It all depended on my physical condition but this injury has affected my consistency and my record."Her retirement was met with disappointment in Thailand, where Pawina, an army sergeant, became an instant celebrity after her gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The win sparked celebrations across the country and led to sizable cash bonuses for Pawina, who on her return was paraded through her rural village with a caravan of elephants. A year later, she won three world titles in the 63kg class in Doha and became the first female lifter in over a century to set world records in three different bodyweight categories.She was named 2005 female weightlifter of the year and returned to Doha a year later for theAsian Games. Meanwhile a University graduate, Pawina went on to win the only major title whichhad eluded her but suffered an injury in the