News

The First Sino & Pan-America Virtual Weightlifting Training Camp Successfully Concluded

The first Sino & Pan-America Virtual Weightlifting Training Camp organized by Chinese Weightlifting Association (CWA) and Pan-American Weightlifting Federation (PAWF) was held on November 21, 2021. Around 100 participants from Pan-America Weightlifting Family participated in the event via zoom. Coaches and athletes from CWA shared their technical knowledge and experience on competitive weightlifting to their counterpart from member federations from PAWF. YU Jie, Head Coach of China’s Men’s Team, coach of Olympic Champions including LYU Xiaojun and a number of world champions, as well as DENG Huijie, coach of China’s Women’s Team participated in the event. Eight World senior/junior Champions from China’s national team made the demonstration of exercises. The training camp started with a quick view on China’s National Weightlifting Training Center, followed by a video clip featuring how sport science team has been supporting Chinese coaches and athletes in their daily training was played (YouTube link of the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFueIWmQzto&feature=youtu.be). Chinese athletes demonstrated several kinds of exercises (technical and muscular), including muscular exercises of lower back and abdominal plus scapular strength, and technical exercises of clean and jerk. These exercises were designed to answer the questions collected from PAWF member federations. The Chinese coaches also made comments and instructions on the exercises practiced by PAWF athletes. After the training session, enthusiastic PAWF member federations raised their questions one after another, which was patiently answered one by one by Chinese Coaches and thus extended the training camp from 1.5 hours to more than 2 hours. PAWF President Mr. Jose QUINONES and PAWF General Secretary Mr. William PENA said Chinese weightlifting has made huge contributions to international weightlifting community, and thanked CWA for a well-organized virtual training camp and setting up a world standard for Pan-America and the world. This training camp was the first bilateral exchange between CWA and PAWF, but it will not be the last one. In an effort to accomplish mutual development, PAWF looks forward to organizing more in-person exchanges with CWA in forms of seminars or training camps. CWA President Mr. ZHOU Jinqiang agreed to have a closer bilateral collaboration between China and Pan-America in different forms from different aspects in the future. He said that COVID-19 has made some troubles for in-person international training camps, but when the pandemic is under control he did hope to invite friends from PAWF and its member federations as well as friends from all over the world to China to train in person with the Chinese National Team, and to have a try with the rehabilitation equipment here in Beijing. Source: Chinese Weightlifting

Election – Australian Weightlifting Federation

The Australian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) at the Annual General Meeting held on November 21, re-elected Sam Coffa as Chairman/President for the ensuing term of office of 3 years. Sam was President of the AWF from 1983-2007, he is now in his second term which started

Information on the Electoral Process

The IWF informs its Member Federations and Candidates that the final list of eligible and ineligible Candidates could not be published yet for the following reason.The Eligibility Determination Panel (EDP) through Sport Resolutions was entrusted to conduct an independent eligibility control, however, the EDP did not deliver the final list of eligible and ineligible candidates by 19 November 2021 to the IWF President and Electoral Commission as required by the IWF Constitution and the Terms of Reference of the Eligibility Determination Panel.The IWF is determined to follow the highest governance standards and ensure a legal and fair electoral process, and will publish the full list as soon as possible according to the IWF

The ITA Asserts 13 Rule Violations Against Weightlifters Following A Re-Analysis Campaign Of 2012 Samples

The International Testing Agency (ITA), leading an independent anti-doping program for the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), asserts anti-doping rule violations against 13 Weightlifters after the re-analysis of samples collected in 2012. In the scope of the work carried out by the ITA on the series of allegations of mishandling of anti-doping matters by the International Weightlifting Federation (“IWF”) over the 2009-2019 period, the ITA ordered further analysis on samples provided by weightlifters during the 2012 IWF European Championships in Antalya, Turkey, held in April 2012. The samples had initially been reported as “negative” back in 2012, but thanks to the improvements in the detection methods, the ITA requested their re-analysis in 2021 which identified several banned anabolic steroids. The further analyses were conducted by the WADA-accredited laboratory of Cologne. The ITA can report that it has notified 13 weightlifters of adverse analytical findings for one or multiple prohibited anabolic steroids detected in their respective samples provided in April 2012: Hysen Pulaku (Albania) Hanna Batsiushka (Belarus) Dimitris Minasidis (Cyprus) Irakli Turmanidze (Georgia) Rauli Tsirekidze (Georgia) Cristina Iovu (Moldova) Florin Ionut Croitoru (Romania) Razvan Constantin Martin (Romania) Oxana Slivenko (Russia) Gokhan Kilic (Turkey) Bunyami Sezer (Turkey) Hatice Yilmaz (Turkey) Fatih Baydar (Turkey) The weightlifters have been provisionally suspended until the resolution of the affair. The weightlifters have the right to ask for their respective B-sample analysis. Pursuant to the IWF’s delegation of its anti-doping program to the ITA, the prosecution of these cases is being handled entirely by the ITA. Given that the cases are underway, there will be no further comments during the ongoing proceedings. Source: International Testing Agency

The First Sino-Europe Virtual Weightlifting Training Camp Successfully Concludes

The 1st Sino-Europe Virtual Weightlifting Training Camp organized by Chinese Weightlifting Association (CWA) and European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) successfully concluded on November 11, 2021. Coaches and athletes from CWA shared their technical knowledge and experience on competitive weightlifting to their counterpart from around 20 Member Federations of EWF. YU Jie, Head Coach of China’s Men’s Team, coach of Olympic Champions including LYU Xiaojun and a number of world champions, as well as DENG Huijie, coach of China’s Women’s Team participated in the event. Four World senior/junior Champions from China’s national team made the demonstration of exercises. The training camp began with a millions-viewed video clip featuring how sport science team has been supporting Chinese coaches and athletes in their daily training (YouTube link of the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFueIWmQzto&feature=youtu.be). In Tokyo Olympic Games, Chinese Weightlifting Team won 7 gold medals and 1 silver medal with participation of 8 qualified athletes, which is in large extent attributed to such scientific training philosophy and methods. Following short opening speeches made by CWA President ZHOU Jinqiang, EWF General Secretary Milan Mihajlovic and EWF Chairman of the Coaching Research & Scientific Committee Colin Buckley, Chinese athletes demonstrated five technical exercises, snatch, clean & jerk, wide-grip panda pull, push press and front squat respectively, whose key points in practicing are also briefed by Chinese Coaches. Athletes from EWF Member Federations practiced the above-mentioned technical exercise with suggestions and instructions from Chinese Coaches. At the end of the event, Milan Mihajlovic thanked CWA for providing this valuable exchange and learning opportunity to the Member Federations of EWF during the COVID-19 pandemic and he hopes that both sides could strengthen cooperation and carry out more exchanges like this in the future. ZHOU Jinqiang concluded that this online training camp is just the first step. There will be more exchanges and cooperation between CWA and EWF in different forms. When Covid-19 Pandemic is mitigated, CWA will hold more international training camps and invite worldwide weightlifting enthusiasts to China to make exchanges and promote the development of weightlifting in the world together. Late this month, the China & Pan-America Virtual Weightlifting Training Camp will be organized. Source: Chinese Weightlifting

IWF Electoral Congress

We trust this letter finds you in good health and offer our continued gratitude for your support of weightlifting. With this letter, we would like to give you further practical information to ensure the successful organization of the IWF Electoral Congress to be held between 2021 December 2021 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The 2021 IWF Electoral Congress shall be held in person. Therefore, Member Federations are expected to send their delegations to Tashkent. We hereby remind you that the IWF will cover flight tickets for only one (1) delegate on the condition that the flight is booked by IWF. After your registration is complete on the e-entry platform, the IWF will provide you with your flight tickets. For those Member Federations with representatives already in Tashkent for the IWF World Weightlifting Championships, the IWF will not cover a flight ticket that would enable return journeys to be made to the country of origin for delegations during the short period between the IWF World Weightlifting Championships and the Electoral Congress. Accommodation Please note that the IWF will only cover three (3) nights for one (1) delegate in the official Hotels of the Electoral Congress which will be: International Hotel Tashkent and Radisson Blu Hotel. Second delegate – Accompanying Guests Please note for Second Delegates or Accompanying Guests‘ flight tickets and accommodation will not be covered by the IWF and shall be covered by attendees themselves.Accommodation rates are the following at the International Hotel Tashkent and Radisson Blu Hotel: Single Room – 180 USD/ per person/ per night Double Room – 160 USD/ per person / per night We are aware that in certain exceptional circumstances, some Member Federations, due to the situation of the pandemic, might be prevented from travelling to Tashkent. As an exceptional measure, in order to ensure that all Member Federations – even the absent ones – receive an equal opportunity to participate and vote in this important election, we shall provide those prevented with an opportunity to join the Congress in person via a special link. Please note, however, those Member Federations that shall use such opportunity will do so at their own risks and that the IWF shall not be liable for any claim resulting from any possible technical failures which will be deemed as a consequence of the Member Federation’s own decision to attend the Congress online based on the relevant circumstances.  Further details of the online attendance will be provided in due course to the Member Federations. DeadlineThe deadline to register is 25 November 2021. Delegates and appointment letterPlease note maximum two (2) delegates of your respective Federation are invited to attend the Congress in person. Please note only one delegate per Member Federations holds the voting right. Registration at the e-entryThe registration link is as follows: www.iwf.net/e-entry_2021congress/ Please do not forget to upload your official appointment letter, which can be downloaded from here. Please note the IWF only accepts this document filled in, signed and stamped by your own Federation. No other document as appointment letter will be accepted by the IWF. Waiver formIn case you wish to attend the Congress in person, please do not forget to upload your Waiver form which can be downloaded from here. Visa ApplicationPlease note your visa will be issued on arrival at the airport. In order to enter Uzbekistan you have to have a passport valid for six months before expiration. Please do not forget to upload your passport copy to the e-entry system. If you need invitation letter to start the visa procedures, please send a complete list of names with passport data, address in time to the Organizing Committee ([email protected]) for the issuance of invitation letters. TranslationTranslations shall be available throughout the whole Congress in 4 languages (Russian, Spanish, French, Arabic.) Contacts of the Local Organizing Committee:Weightlifting Federation of the Republic of UzbekistanTel: +998 71 245 55 90  or  +998 71 245 55 81Email: [email protected]  Weather conditions:Please note cold temperature (-10 Celsius) is expected in December in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Please be prepared for wintertime weather conditions and make sure to bring warm clothes. Looking forward to seeing you at the IWF Electoral Congress in