News

Tokyo 2020: New dates announced

IWF welcomes Tokyo 2020 decision to schedule Olympic Games from 23 July - 8 August 2021 Following today’s announcement of the revised dates for Tokyo 2020, the IWF has expressed its full support for the successful staging of the Olympic Games. “Thanks to this decision, an important part of the uncertainty being faced by athletes with Olympic ambitions has now been removed,” said IWF Acting President Ursula Papandrea. We will now work with the IOC to expedite the resolution of the Olympic Qualifying System for weightlifting, in order to provide weightlifters with further certainty.” “There is now a vast amount of work to be done, but we have already been so impressed by the work of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, including the delivery of the successful weightlifting test event. In addition to our sincere thanks for that work, the IWF would now like to add its deepest gratitude to Tokyo 2020 for their willingness to take on the challenge of a rescheduled Olympic Games while also dealing with COVID-19.” “With the highlight of the Summer of 2021 now established, the IWF will calendar its events accordingly. In the meantime, the IWF would like to encourage everyone to follow the advice of public health authorities in preventing the spread of the pandemic. Best wishes to you

Ron Greavette has suddenly passed away

Canada's renowned weightlifting coach, Ron Greavette has suddenly passed away on 21 March 2020. Mr Greavette was the President of the Canadian Weightlifting Federation between 1989 and 1994; he was the team leader at the 1992 Olympic Games, coached the Canadian weightlifting team during three Junior World Championships (1976, 1977, 1987) and two Commonwealth Games (1986 and 1990). He coached the CDN Team at two events following the 1980 Olympic Boycott: the 1980 South Pacific Games and the 1981 New Zealand Summer Games. Mr Greavette started the Viking Weightlifting Club in 1971 which has been operating for 49 years - now by his son, Guy Greavette, who carries on the legacy and keeps the historical club's doors open. The IWF and the weightlifting family extend their condolences to the CWF and the Greavette

Zhangkong Barbell donates medical masks

The Zhangkong Barbell company has offered 5000 medical masks to the weightlifting family to help to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. In co-operation with the IWF Secretariat, Zhangkong Barbell will distribute the masks to the National Federations by airmail, on its own cost. The IWF asks the National Federations to get in contact with the Secretariat with their requested number of medical masks.

Statement of the IWF Acting President

To all of the weightlifting athletes and federations in our international community, None of us is completely surprised by the announcement that the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo will be postponed. Out of an abundance of caution and concern first and foremost for the priority of life and health of the world, the IOC has consulted with many including WHO and listened to the voice of the athletes to make the best decision for all Olympic athletes and delegations. With this decision, the work continues with the planning for a new for Tokyo Games and all logistics that accompany such a task. Of course, this is a prudent decision but still heartbreaking and stressful for all of the athletes who have worked so hard to achieve their dream in Tokyo 2020. The work in your part will thusly continue. For the members of the IWF Executive Board and Secretariat, it means our work continues. We will continue to work with the IOC in the current ongoing processes that have already been affected by COVID-19. Your patience is appreciated as we wade through what we do know and to deliberate on the unknowns. Our intent as always is to make the best decisions for our athletes and member federations. Not all decisions will please everyone, but with all sincerity, we aim to make the most prudent decisions for all of us. We wish to acknowledge our friends who have diligently worked on Tokyo 2020. They have also anticipated this event and are also stressed by the situation as our hosts, the people of Japan. We are all impacted internationally by this global pandemic.  The decision to postpone the Tokyo Games 2020 is another example of how serious we must take this outbreak and how important it is to all take precautions to safeguard ourselves, the ones we love, and the entire world around us. Now is the time to exhibit the strength and resilience every weightlifter possesses. Warmest regards for all, Ursula Garza Papandrea IWF Acting

BREAKING NEWS: Tokyo 2020 postponed

The IOC and the Tokyo Organising Committee today released a joint statement, whereby they confirmed the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games for no later than summer 2021. „In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but no later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community. Click here to read the full IOC

IWF Executive Board Meets, Approves Modified Olympic Qualification And Athlete Welfare Measures

Lausanne, Budapest and online; 18 March 2020; Working to support weightlifters during this period of unprecedented uncertainty, the IWF Executive Board met for the last two days and approved a number of key measures. Priority was given to the welfare of athletes, officials and staff. Suggested modifications to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Qualification System were also approved, and the continuity of clean sport measures was also addressed. IWF Acting President Ursula Papandrea said: “Athletes and those who support them are no exception in facing a public health crisis. The IWF is united in expressing its concern for all those affected. We have to acknowledge the reality of cancelled competitions and training camps and adapt accordingly. The IWF has moved quickly to develop changes to the Olympic Qualifying System that reflect these new circumstances.” Following the advice received from the IOC authorising the IWF to consider modifications to the elements to the existing Weightlifting Qualification System, the Executive Board accepted the recommendations of the IWF Sport Commission to align as closely as possible to the original framework. For the avoidance of doubt, the Executive Board agreed not to extend the Qualification Period. The IWF has already submitted a modified Olympic Qualification System to the IOC for approval and will communicate it to athletes and Member Federations as soon as that approval is granted. The maintenance of an effective anti-doping programme was a key consideration in developing the proposed changes. Executive Board members also emphasised the need ensure international competition is resumed as quickly as is appropriate in the short to medium term. Looking to the future, Hersonissos (GRE) was approved as host of the 2022 IWF Junior World Weightlifting Championships. The IWF Executive Board also approved the guiding principles of the Qualification System for YOG Dakar 2022 to be shared with stakeholders in the near future. Further issues considered by the IWF Executive Board included the IWF Strategic Plan and its next steps. The Oversight and Integrity Commission updated the board on the continued work of Prof Richard McLaren and his team. Complementing the recent technical rule changes, the IWF Refugee Policy was endorsed in order to provide a pathway for refugee athletes to compete at the IWF events and possibly, at the Olympic Games. The Executive Board was held online, as the IWF reiterates the importance of advice being given by public health authorities around the world in terms of limiting physical contact with others and practising exceptional hygiene. “We are grateful that technology means that coaches can still communicate with athletes still training under difficult conditions and that teammates can still encourage each other,” continued Papandrea. “The mental and emotional wellbeing of everyone in the global weightlifting family has never been more important. The IWF would like to remind everyone that physical distance no longer needs to mean we are not in touch with each other to lift each other’s spirits. This is one area we will be working on in the coming days and