News

José Quiñones (PER) re-elected as Pan-American WL Federation President

José Quiñones, from Peru, was re-elected as President of the Pan-American Weightlifting Federation during the Congress of the continental body, held on January 14, 2024 in Lima (PER). Mr Quiñones was the only final candidate to the presidency, after the withdrawal of Mr William Peña (COL), then elected as General Secretary. A total of 31 National Federations from the Americas were present at the Congress, which elected the following 2024-2028 Executive Board: President: José Quiñones (PER)General Secretary: William Peña (COL)Treasurer: Luis Seijas (VEN)Vice-Presidents: Nadia Alvarado (MEX), Craig Walker (CAN), Jorge Luis Barcelan (CUB) and Luis Zambrano (ECU)Members: Paula Aranda (USA), Andrew Callender (BAR) and Jorge España (BOL)Athlete representative in the EB: Paola Duhart (URU) The new-elected Pan-American Weightlifting Federation Executive Board, led by José Quiñones (fifth from the left) The Congress was attended by several IWF officials, namely: Mohammed Jalood (President), Ursula Papandrea (First Vice-President), Doris Marrero (Vice-President), Matthew Curtain (EB Member), Florian Sperl (EB Member), Yassiny Esquivel (EB Member), Antonio Conflitti (EB Member and EWF President), Mohammed Alharbi (EB Member), Khaled Mehalhel (EB Member and WFA President), and Forrester Osei (EB Member and Athletes Commission Chair). "I am very honoured with the renovated confidence that was given to me by all my colleagues of the American continent. It is a great responsibility for me to drive this amazing community, but I am sure that together we can reach great results and achievements. At local, regional and international level, we are able to deliver unforgettable events and our lifters are also among the best in the planet. This is the result of everyone's work in this part of the world,” considered Mr Quiñones after his successful re-election. Pan-American representatives with IWF officials during the Congress in Lima (PER) “In this so special moment, I would also like to thank the IWF President Mohammed Jalood and the colleagues from the IWF Board who were here in Lima, attending and supporting this Congress. In this Olympic year, I am certain that we will make weightlifting even stronger and more respected worldwide!" Mr Quiñones concluded. IWF Communications

IWF delegation praises preparation of the Junior Worlds in Leon (ESP)

An IWF delegation was in Leon (ESP) this week for a technical visit in preparation for the IWF World Junior Championships, taking place from September 19-27, 2024. Antonio Urso, IWF General Secretary, Antonio Conflitti, IWF Executive Board member and President of the European Weightlifting Federation, and Matyas Lencser, IWF Competition Manager were welcomed by the highest representatives of the Royal Spanish Weightlifting Federation, namely its President Constantino Iglesias, and its Secretary General Juan Lama. From left to right: Juan Lama (SG Spanish WL Federation), Constantino Iglesias (President Spanish WL Federation), Antonio Urso (IWF General Secretary), Jose Antonio Diez Diaz (Mayor of Leon), Antonio Conflitti (EWF President), and Matyas Lencser (IWF Competition Manager) While in Leon, a city situated in the northwest of the Iberian peninsula, the group had the opportunity to visit the hotels that will host the participants in the competition, as well as the venue where the event will take place. The Mayor of the City, Mr Jose Antonio Diez Diaz, received the weightlifting representatives in the Town Hall, where a Press Conference was held and the local media briefed about the details of the organisation. Meeting with the Mayor of Leon Finally, a visit to the CAR (National Training Centre) was also scheduled – a facility where members of Spain’s national team train frequently. The competition venue During the meeting between the IWF and the Spanish Federation, hosts of the Championships, all aspects related to the set-up of the event were analysed, namely the transportation and accommodation plan, the competition and training venue, the promotion of the event, TV production, or the anti-doping and visa procedures. During the Press Conference “It was quite a successful and fruitful visit, which confirmed our very positive expectation on an excellent organisation of these Championships. We were honoured to be received by the Mayor of Leon, proving that the local authorities are fully determined to support in the best possible way this important competition,” considered the IWF General Secretary. “Our gratitude also goes to the Royal Spanish Weightlifting Federation for its outstanding commitment and professionalism in setting-up a great event for our athletes, coaches, officials, and spectators,” Mr Urso concluded. IWF Communications

2024: new year, new Prohibited Substances List

This Olympic year started with a new WADA List of Prohibited Substances and Methods, which contains some important updates and modifications. A summary of those changes can be found here, while the new List is available through this link. Particular attention should be given to information regarding tramadol: in September 2022, WADA decided to prohibit the narcotic tramadol in competition, effective January 1, 2024. The delay in implementation was to ensure stakeholders had enough time to learn and adapt to this change, especially as it pertained to the education of athletes, their entourage, and medical personnel.  Credit image: www.wada-ama.org/ Tramadol has been on WADA’s Monitoring Programme and data gathered through that programme have indicated significant use in sports. Tramadol abuse, with its risk of physical dependence, opiate use disorder and overdoses, is of concern worldwide and has led to it being a controlled drug in many countries. Research studies funded by WADA have also confirmed the potential for tramadol to enhance sports performance.  Besides changes in the List, 2024 also saw the implementation of a new Monitoring Programme (available here) In order to enhance athletes’ feedback on this important topic, WADA is organising a 2024 annual perception survey. We invite all lifters to complete this questionnaire, by no later than January 17, 2024 by clicking in the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QC8XPBT Other relevant information: Medical Professionals Factsheet on tramadol (available now)   Athlete and ASP Guide to the 2024 List (available

Chinese lifters and officials get a Parisian “taste” before the Games

After its successful participation in the IWF Grand Prix II in Doha (QAT) and before its return to the country, the Chinese weightlifting team travelled to Paris (FRA) from December 14-21, 2023 to get a “taste” of the facilities provided for the upcoming Olympic Games in August.   During their stay in the French capital, the Asian delegation had the opportunity to share the facilities of the national weightlifting training center at INSEP, as part of the training sessions scheduled jointly with the French Olympic team. This enriching experience was highlighted by the staging of a seminar where French and Chinese could debate on talent detection, training and coaching methods. This opportunity also allowed Team China to visit the French capital, namely the Olympic Village at Saint Ouen, which in a few months will be home to all the athletes taking part in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. After a detailed presentation of the Village’s construction project and its conversion into residential accommodation after the Games, the Chinese delegation was able to take their first step into the Village and see where the future weightlifting training room will be located. Michel Raynaud, President of the French Weightlifting and IWF Executive Board member, underlined the importance of this visit: “It was a very rewarding opportunity to share our experiences and to forge common and stronger links between the two teams. I would like to thank all the Chinese athletes and officials for their availability, and their willingness to fruitfully co-operate with us during this period leading to the

IWF New Year’s message

In these final days of 2023, we are very happy to report on a very successful year for the weightlifting family! We can proudly say that these last 12 months have been an important milestone in the already rich 118-year history of our International Federation. The highlight of this year’s achievements occurred on October 16, when the International Olympic Committee decided to reinstate our beloved sport in the programme of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028. After years of uncertainty and difficult challenges to overcome, the IOC recognised at the highest level that the IWF is progressing in the right direction and deserves its full place in the Olympic arena. This moment of immense joy is also an occasion to recognise our responsibility to continue this positive momentum and push ahead in the years to come. More than ever, the International Weightlifting Federation must ensure that the mechanisms we implemented in the areas of good governance and anti-doping, for example, are strong, and more importantly, are working efficiently. After the election of a new Board in June 2022, the work developed in 2023 consolidated the structural reforms that were necessary to enhance the credibility, reliability, and reputation of our Federation. From the creation of the first-ever IWF Refugee Team and the development of a Safety and Integrity Policy, and the unanimous approval of our updated Constitution, the weightlifting family showed a remarkable sense of unity and co-operation throughout the five continents. The development of our IWF Strategic Plan (for the period 2024-2032), in collaboration with all stakeholders in the IWF family, was another success, reinforcing our strong will to embrace modernity in our activities and ensure a clear roadmap for the future. In a year marked by several Olympic qualification events, our competitions gained in importance and exposure. Last September, in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), around 700 lifters from 120 nations gathered for the most-attended edition of our World Championships. Over 14 days, the best lifters in the world had the opportunity to perform in excellent conditions, while fighting for a spot in the next Games in Paris. The Olympic rendezvous in the French capital is naturally the major milestone of 2024 – 120 athletes will display their strength throughout 10 bodyweight categories, thus culminating a qualification pathway that will still include five continental championships in the first months of the year and the IWF World Cup in April in Phuket (THA). After our stay in France, the year will conclude with the celebration of our global showcase in December in Manama (Bahrain). Like our stars, we are very motivated to enter in this new year and show the vitality of our sport. We are optimistic and confident that despite the obvious progress, we must not rest on our laurels. We must continue working hard to demonstrate why weightlifting symbolises in a perfect way the Fortius notion of the Olympic motto – we are Strong, but our desire is to get even Stronger. And we will do so together. In this very positive context, we cannot conclude this historic year without expressing our sincere gratitude and appreciation to all those who, collectively and decisively contributed to all these successes: our colleagues from the IWF Board, our devoted IWF Secretariat, but mainly our Continental and National Member Federations around the globe, as well as their respective athletes, coaches, officials, and administrators. Without their daily work and outstanding devotion to our sport, we couldn’t celebrate these achievements. Our consolidated position in the Olympic Movement is a fair tribute to their support and action in their territories. Only together, working locally, but thinking globally, can we progress and show to the world our dynamism and commitment to a healthier and happier planet. With enthusiasm and satisfaction, we wish the entire weightlifting community a prosperous and successful New Year of 2024! Thank you for making the IWF stronger and more respected worldwide! Mohammed Jalood                                 Antonio UrsoIWF President                                        IWF Secretary General

2024 IWF World Cup: preliminary entries are due on December 31!

The IWF sent this week to its National Member Federations all the information concerning the applicable deadlines for the 2024 IWF World Cup, to be held in Phuket (THA), from March 31 to April 11, 2024. According to this procedure, the Preliminary Entry deadline is December 31, 2023, exactly three months before the start of the event. Two months before the competition, on January 31, 2024 the IWF should receive the Final Entries and on March 17, 2024 the verification of Final Entries will be made (so that the Start Book of the World Cup can be produced). National Member Federations must make sure that all their potential participating athletes are included in the Preliminary Entries, as no other lifters can be accepted after December 31, 2023. Moreover, this date is also the last deadline for all athletes wishing to take part in the event to send their whereabouts information, in accordance with article 5.5.16 of the IWF Anti-Doping Rules. In case this procedure is not completed on time, lifters shall be automatically ineligible to compete in Phuket. At the Preliminary Entry phase, each National Member Federation may register a maximum of 20 athletes per gender, while the Final Entries are limited to 12 lifters (10+2 reserves) per gender. The 2024 IWF World Cup is the last Olympic Qualification event before the Games in Paris (FRA) and, together with the 2023 IWF World Championships, it is a mandatory competition to obtain the selection for the Olympic rendezvous. All entries can be registered via the IWF online entry system at https://mf.iwf.sport All relevant documents can be found