News

National Federations’ news: elections across IWF members

The beginning of a new Olympic cycle is often synonym with new elections in our national member federations. At the Finnish Weightlifting Federation Fall Congress, Karoliina Lundahl was re-elected for a two-year term. At the same time, the election of half of the Executive Board (EB) was held for three Board Members and a female athlete Board Member. The Finnish Executive Board has now four men and four women of which two athletes, as well as a female president. Flowers for Karoliina Lundahl, re-elected as president of the Finnish Weightlifting Federation The new board’s goal is to improve the financial status of the federation as the Finnish government is decreasing subsidies to the sports governing bodies (about five to thirty percent in the next three years). In Auckland, New Zealand, the successful National Championships gathered 88 competitors (in junior and senior categories), including three lifters from Vanuatu, who participated as guests. At the same time, Simon Kent was re-conducted as leader of the National Federation. Check a nice video summary of the NZL Championships here In neighbouring Australia, Sam Coffa, IWF Executive Board Member and Chair of the IWF Technical Committee, was also re-conducted in the leadership of the national weightlifting federation for a third consecutive term.  In Ankara, Talat Ünlü was also re-elected as president of the Türkiye Weightlifting Federation for a new four-year term (2024-2028). Also in Europe, Ms Theano Zagkliveri was reconfirmed at the helm of the Hellenic Weightlifting Federation. Pyrros Dimas, IWF Vice-President and three-time Olympic champion, was elected to the Board of Directors and will be the representative of the Greek national body in the Plenary Session of the Hellenic Olympic Committee. In Russia, the delegates at the Election Conference of the respective Weightlifting Federation chose a new President to run the sport in the country - Mr Dmitry Vasilenko. Out of the 77 attendees in the Congress, the new leader received 65 votes in favour of his election. Before this success, Mr Vasilenko was the General Secretary of the Russian Weightlifting Federation. Finally, in Ecuador, Fernando Salas was elected President of his national federation for a four-year term (2024-2028).   Congratulations to the new-elected Presidents and all the success for their respective national teams!   IWF

Final Entry deadline for Manama 2024: November 6

The IWF National Federations are kindly reminded that the deadline for confirming their final entries for the 2024 IWF World Championships in Manama (BRN) is November 6, 2024. At this stage, and through the IWF E-entry system, the IWF members must select a maximum of 12 athletes (10+2 reserve) per gender (if available from the previously registered preliminary entries). At the same time, NFs are invited to remove athletes who will not compete in the event and confirm the final entries by clicking the “Confirm Final List” button. On November 22, the verification of final entries will take place, while the IWF World Championships will run from December 6-15, 2024. Participating NFs must also be aware that by November 6, they must transfer 100% of the total payment (accommodation & entry fees) to the Organising Committee. Those who do not pay by this date may be declared ineligible for the competition. IWF E-entry system:

EWF successfully celebrates its 55th anniversary in Poland

The European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) lived a memorable weekend in Warsaw (POL), when many commemorative activities took place to celebrate the organisation’s 55th anniversary. In the Polish capital, the EWF was founded on September 20, 1969 and the date has been remembered by the weightlifting family of the Old Continent, with an EWF Executive Board and Special Congress, but also with the U23 European Championships. To highlight the festivities, a new EWF logo was unveiled. Delegates to the EWF Congress The commemoration was led by Antonio Conflitti, EWF President, and Milan Mihajlovic, EWF General Secretary, and besides the EWF authorities, several guests from the IWF family were also in attendance – they included IWF Executive Board members Khaled Mehalhel, President of the African Weightlifting Federation, and Mohamed Al Harbi, General Secretary of the Asian Weightlifting Federation. Among the most important topics presented at the Congress, was the approval of the new EWF logo, a more modern emblem of the Continental Federation, which, however, retains elements from the previous emblem, such as the leaves of laurels, which were joined to a disc, a representative element of our Sport and, of course, the official name of the organisation. The EWF Executive Board Also on this occasion, distinctions were presented to personalities from the European weightlifting family, according to the decision of the Executive Board. They included the EWF Gold Collar to Antonio Urso, EWF Honorary President and IWF General Secretary, and to Oleksandr Gerega, President of the Ukrainian Weightlifting Federation for his active support to the Sport “in a period of extreme difficulty for the country”. The new EWF logo The EWF President Antonio Conflitti enthusiastically commented on the successful activities in Warsaw: “I feel privileged to witness this anniversary event. It is also why it was decided, at the EWF Executive Board level, to have this meeting with the Member Federations to celebrate this anniversary moment and, of course, to make important decisions for the present and the future of our sport.” “I thank the Secretary General, Dr. Milan Mihajlovic, and the entire Executive Board for supporting the EWF projects and the meeting in Warsaw. I congratulate all those who participated, I thank the guests and colleagues from the IWF Executive and, last but not least, I wish good luck to the athletes and all the teams participating these days in the European Championships for Juniors and U23, in  Raszyn. I thank and congratulate the Polish Weightlifting Federation for the good activity, but also for the commitment to organise our activities at a high level,” the EWF President also stated. The IWF President Mohammed Jalood was also in Poland to witness the performances of the lifters competing in the Championships (gathering around 450 athletes from 35 countries). Mr Jalood was positively impressed by the sports complex facilities where the event is taking place in Raszyn.  IWF President Mohammed Jalood at a medal ceremony in Raszyn "Thank you Mr President for being here with us, despite your extremely busy agenda. Your presence in Poland, on the occasion of EWF's 55th anniversary, is highly appreciated!" Mr Conflitti concluded.  Source:

IWF signs a MoU with the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation in Lausanne

The IWF recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSA), so that new and reinforced ways of co-operation can be implemented in the years to come. The ceremony took place at the IF Forum, held at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne (SUI). From the IWF side, Ursula Papandrea, First Vice-President, and Achilleas Tsogas, CEO, were present in the ceremony, while Nasser Majali, Secretary General, signed the document on ISSA’s behalf. From left to right: Achilleas Tsogas (IWF CEO), Ursula Papandrea (IWF First Vice-President) and Nasser Majali (ISSA Secretary General) ISSA is an independent organisation affiliated to the Organiation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). It has its headquarters in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, with a membership of 57 members. ISSA is also responsible for the staging of the Islamic Solidarity Games, whose first edition took place in 2005, precisely in Riyadh. The fifth edition of this prestigious event was held in Konya (TUR), in 2021, and the next one, in 2025, will again touch the Saudi capital. IWF

Weightlifting continues to shine at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow

The Commonwealth Games Federation confirmed this week the location of the 2026 event in Glasgow, the Scottish city that had already hosted the competition in 2014. At the same time, the sports programme of the Games was presented and Weightlifting is proudly part of it, along with nine other sports. The 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games will take place from July 23 to August 2, and will comprise four main venues within a 13km corridor, ensuring the event is easily accessible to spectators and the 3’000 athletes participating in the competition. The Games are open to up 74 Commonwealth nations and territories representing 2.5 billion people. The sport of Weightlifting has been part of the programme since 1950, enjoying huge popularity in many of the participating nations in the event. “The entire weightlifting family is very happy to remain as a core sport in the programme of the Commonwealth Games. This shows our important and historic contribution to the event’s success since 1950! In 2026, we will continue demonstrating our value, and all our lifters look forward to competing in Glasgow, a city that will surely host great Games!” considered the IWF President Mohammed Jalood after the announcement of the upcoming edition of the competition. “After this important announcement and positive news, the IWF is ready to work together with the Organisers so that our events can run as smoothly as possible,” also said Mr Jalood. “The Commonwealth Games is an important and truly unique event for our community providing an international opportunity for our home nations, crown dependencies and overseas territories; as celebrated as recently as the last Games at Birmingham 2022 where Emily Campbell (England), Holly O’ Shea (Gibraltar) and Micky Yule (Scotland) were selected as Flag Bearers for their respective Commonwealth Games Associations at the Opening Ceremony,” declared Matthew Curtain, British Weightlifting Federation CEO and member of the IWF Executive Board.

IWF President supports the creation of the Balkan Weightlifting Federation in Albania

The IWF President Mohammed Jalood was this week in Golem, Albania, for the founding Congress of the Balkan Weightlifting Federation. This regional organisation assembles 11 National Federations – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Türkiye – and aims at creating opportunities and competitions for the weightlifting community in this area of Europe. IWF President Mohammed Jalood and delegates at the founding Congress of the Balkan Weightlifting Federation  At the Congress in Golem was also elected the first Executive Board of the organisation, led by Elez Gjoza, President of the Albanian Weightlifting Federation. The other members of the EB are: Nedim Masic (BIH, General Secretary), Talan Unlu (TUR, Vice-President), Irena Mitrovska (MKD, member), Damjan Canzek (SLO, member), and Amar Music (CRO, member). Besides the presence of the IWF President, the leadership of the European Weightlifting Federation was also represented by its President Antonio Conflitti. Locally, the Balkan Weightlifting Federation received the support of the President of the Albanian Olympic Committee, Fidel Ylli. The first Executive Board of the Balkan Weightlifting Federation Elez Gjoza, the President of the new organisation, was naturally satisfied with the outcome of the Congress: “Thank you very much for your trust. I am very happy that, in the end, we were able to organise ourselves and lay the first brick on this ‘construction’. It will be a nice project of development and mutual help.” The headquarters of the Balkan Weightlifting Federation will be located in Tirana, the capital of Albania. Reception in Cerrik - from left to right: Elez Gjoza (Balkan WL and ALB WL Federation President), Andis Salla (Mayor of Cerrik), Mohammed Jalood (IWF President) and Antonio Conflitti (EWF President) After this important milestone, Mr Jalood and the remaining dignitaries visited the village of Cerrik, renowned for its Shtermeni Weightlifting Team, a structure that produced many Albanian champions and brought to the country 93 medals in international competitions. The delegation was welcomed by the mayor of the town Andis Salla, a former weightlifter. IWF President speaking to the local media in Cerrik Impressed by the training facilities he visited, the IWF President expressed his conviction that lifters from Albania will continue shining at the highest level. “Albania has produced many big names in the sport of weightlifting, namely some European and world champions. I am sure the present generation of athletes will preserve this successful tradition,” Mr Jalood said. Source (text and photos):