News

New SportAccord Office inaugurated in Lausanne

SportAccord, the umbrella organization of the world's sports governing bodies has now an office in Lausanne, Switzerland at the "Maison du Sport International". IWF President Dr. Tamás Aján was invited for the inaugural and held several meetings with among others IOC President Jacques Rogge and SportAccord President Hein Verbruggen. "It's really necessary to be here in Maison du Sport. Many of our members are around and it's good to be right in the middle of everything," said Nolvenn Dufay de Lavallaz, Senior Development Manager of Sportaccord, new name for the General Association of International Sports

IOC awards US broadcast rights for 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games to NBCUniversal

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded NBCUniversal (NBCU) the broadcast rights in the US for the XXII Olympic Winter Games (2014) in Sochi, Russia, and the Games of the XXXI Olympiad (2016) in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, as well as the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games, which have yet to be awarded to a host city. NBCU has acquired the broadcast rights across all media platforms, including free-to-air television, subscription television, internet and mobile. The total agreement is valued at USD 4.38 billion. The IOC based its decision on a long-term broadcast strategy aimed at ensuring broadcast of the Olympic Games of the highest quality, maximising exposure across all available media platforms, and securing the financial future of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement. The IOC has enjoyed a long partnership with NBCU, and this agreement will mean that by 2020, NBCU will have covered a total of 17 editions of the Games, beginning in 1964. Read the full article

Bright prospects for University Weightlifting

Mr. Eric Saintrond, Secretary General and CEO of FISU (International University Sport Federation) paid a visit to the IWF in Budapest. The host, IWF President Dr. Tamás Aján met Mr. Saintrond on Tuesday evening and they discussed current issues of the cooperation between both international organisations, with a special focus on the 2011 Universiade and the upcoming World University Championships. The FISU senior official expressed his organisation's satisfaction with the progress of university weightlifting in the world. He also visited the IWF headquarters where he was met by Anikó Németh-Móra, IWF Director and FISU CT Chair and Attila Ádámfi, IWF Competition

Masashi Ouchi passed away

The International Weightlifting Federation has been informed with deep sorrow about the death of Mr. Masashi OUCHI, 4 times Senior World Champion who passed away on 6 June 2011 at the age of 67. Ouchi was born on 28 September 1943 in Koriyama City, Fukushima Japan. He started weightlifting in Fukushima then improved his career through Hosei University in Tokyo and Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. He participated in the Olympic Games two times and got a Bronze Medal at the TokyoGames in1964and a Silver Medal in Mexico City at the 1968 Olympic Games. In 1969 in Moscow, Russia Ouchi became World Champion in the Light-Heavy Category. Two times Gold Medallist at theAsian Games in 1966 and 1970, he set 10 world records. After he retired from competitions, he became the head coach of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and worked in the Japanese Weightlifting Association as an Executive Board Member. The Weightlifting Family expresses its deepest condolences to the Japanese Weightlifting Association and to Mr. Masashi OUCHI's

Eilat to host Friendly WUC in 2012

The technical visit just completed by FISU CT Chair for Weightlifting Anikó Németh-Móra and FISU Championships Director Laurent Briel at Israel's famous resort on the Red Sea confirmed the conditions for the 3rd World University Weightlifting Championships the city will host in 2012. Eilat's brand new "Begin Sports Hall" will be the venue and organisers are aiming at putting up all participants at the same, comfortable hotel. It should be remembered that the first ever University World Championships, held under the IWF, took place in Ramat Gan, Israel in 1998. As the host ASA (Academic Sport Association of Israel) President Arie Rosenzweig and Organising Committee President Dr. Shimon Barak said: the 3rd World University Championships held under the auspices of FISU will welcome student weightlifters of all nations to a friendly and enjoyable competition in the wonderful surroundings of Eilat in November 2012. The technical inspection visit was combined with the 2011 edition of the "Friendship Games" - a unique basketball tournament welcoming university teams from Jordan, China, Israel, Cyprus, Greece and Palestine and serving as an excellent tool to promote friendship amongst these

New President for the Australian Weightlifting Federation

The IWF would like to congratulate Professor Robert Mitchell who has been appointed as the new Australian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) President. The announcement was made at the AWF Special Board of Directors Meeting, held in Sydney, Australia on Saturday 28 May 2011. Robert Mitchell has over four decades of involvement as a player, coach, administrator and coach educator in the sport industry. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Sydney and is a Registered Specialist in the State of New South Wales and the ACT. As an athlete Robert has been engaged Weightlifting, he was an Australian representative at the World Masters Weightlifting Championships in 2002, 2003 and 2006. "It is indeed a humbling experience and a great honor to become the newly appointed President of the AWF and take hold of the reins held by former President Robert Kabbas, who has worked so effectively and tirelessly in leading the Federation since 2008" said Robert