Mohammed Jalood: “The Olympic Games are always a source of inspiring stories!”
Mohammed Jalood is an optimistic and confident man. Also a realistic one: “In Sport, we should never rest on our laurels”. Elected in June 2022, the IWF President will live the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the helm of an international federation that has profoundly changed, has become a reliable partner within the Olympic movement but has still “many priorities to accomplish”. In this “long” journey, Mr Jalood underlines the unity of the weightlifting family and the common goal of moving the Sport in a “positive direction”. A new path driven by the athletes’ aspirations, but also by the fans’ desire to experience outstanding competitions around the globe. Two days before the start of the weightlifting event in the French capital, the IWF President believes it will be a “thrilling” milestone in the Federation’s history. Mr President, you have been in Paris since the IOC Session and the Opening of the Olympic Games. What are your impressions so far? They are very positive! You know, after the ‘special’ atmosphere in Tokyo – due to the Covid limitations -, we came back to a ‘normal’ edition of the Olympic Games! And the French organisers have excelled in creating the best possible conditions for all participants at these Games! IWF President Mohammed Jalood I have been visiting several sports venues and I was sincerely impressed with the quality and the look of all the facilities. Moreover, the effort to integrate some of the most iconic sites of the French capital into the Games is truly amazing. People will long remember the equestrian events in the Versailles palace, the fencing in the impressive Grand Palais, or the beach volleyball just beside the Eiffel Tower! Finally, this commitment has been rewarded by a massive public attendance in all venues and for all sports! France is doing quite well in terms of its athletes’ performances, but excited spectators are filling the stands to support all the nations taking part in these Games. This creates a great atmosphere! What can weightlifters wait for from August 7-11? The weightlifting venue will be no exception to this outstanding enthusiasm. The facilities are truly superb and the indications I have indicate that we are quite close to a sold-out situation concerning the ticket sales for our competition. Thousands of spectators will therefore be at the South Paris Arena 6 each day, cheering and motivating our lifters. This will certainly inspire the 122 competitors for even greater performances and results. Many lifters are already here in Paris and I could speak with them in the Village, where the outstanding training facilities are located. They are all quite happy and motivated, and ready to be in the competition venue. Mr Jalood meets in Paris the President of his native country Iraq, HE Mr Abdul Latif Rashid As you know, this facility hosted the handball competition in the first week of the Games and at the moment I am giving this interview, it is getting ready for the weightlifting event. We have been in the Arena several times in the months preceding the Olympics and we are very confident about an excellent outcome. The IWF team, together with the Paris 2024 organisers,have worked very hard for this moment and I take the opportunity to express my gratitude and appreciation for this collaborative and fruitful spirit. Tokyo 2020 was marked by many milestones – first gold for the Philippines or Qatar, for example. What to expect in Paris? The Olympic Games are always a source of inspiring stories and outstanding results! This will also be the case here in Paris for our lifters. The qualification period was marked by many surprises – while most of our confirmed stars got their ticket for the Games, many new talented lifters showed that the sight of the Games at the end of a long road is the best possible motivation for great lifts. Our first motive of satisfaction is the number of countries present in Paris. We have a quota of 120 athletes for the Games, but we managed to have 58 National Olympic Committees lifting here. This is a great achievement, as it shows the universality and global reach of our Sport on the five continents. Moreover, we are also very happy to welcome two lifters from the Refugee Olympic Team. "Paris 2024 will definitively prove the value and importance of weightlifting in the Olympic programme" Many traditional, confirmed powerhouses in the world of weightlifting will certainly shine, but, be sure, some other nations will have good reasons to celebrate. Moreover, ‘pushed’ by their fans, the four French lifters engaged in the competition should also perform well. It will be a thrilling competition, definitively proving the value and importance of weightlifting in the Olympic programme. These are your first Games as IWF President. With a couple of days before the weightlifting competition, what are your feelings? It is of course a great honour, but essentially a big responsibility for me. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games come in a turning point in the history of our International Federation. Last October, at the IOC Session in Mumbai, weightlifting was confirmed for the sport programme of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, which is something that provided us and the millions of lifters around the world a great satisfaction. Therefore, in this long road towards 2028 and beyond, Paris 2024 is the first decisive step in showing the world how our beloved Sport has evolved in a positive direction in recent years. When you were elected in June 2022, could you imagine that just two years later, the IWF would be in such a good situation? I use to say, and hopefully I act in accordance, that despite being the President, I value very much the team that is around me. It starts with my colleagues from the Executive Board, but also with our Committees and Commissions, our staff in Lausanne, our five continental associations, and 194 National Federations around the world, with their respective athletes, coaches, officials and administrators. We are a big family, working united for the development and modernisation of weightlifting. In 2022, when the new Board was elected, our programme was extremely ambitious: we needed to build a solid, respected, financially sustainable, reliable, well-governed, and drug-free sport. While there is much to do – in Sport, we should never rest on our laurels (and the athletes know it very well!) – we have achieved so much in such a limited period of time! We changed our Constitution, we improved on good governance, athlete representation and voice, gender equality, sustainability, financial checks, anti-doping programme (in close co-operation with the International Testing Agency), strategic planning, integrity and safeguarding in the sport, and reinforcement of our headquarters in Lausanne. As you see, many important areas are now being implemented or improved – this led to a new IWF, that is now trustable and is consolidating its deserved place in the Olympic Movement. "We continue to have a lot of ideas, and most importantly, the motivation and the necessary unity to make them happen!" We must never forget that we are one of the nine founding sports at the first Olympic Games of the modern era, in 1896. Sportswise, our place is essential in the Games; institutionally, we are tirelessly working to earn that same status. After Paris 2024, we enter into a new Olympic cycle, towards Los Angeles 2028. Despite having been already confirmed for those Games, what will be the priorities for the next four years? There will be many, the work doesn’t stop! As I said, our first mission after the 2022 elections was to restore the reputation and make our organisation evolve from an institutional point of view. Major progress has been made on those fields, so we need to look into more detailed areas of our functioning. Now that we have a better foundation, we can also improve our communication, leading to a better exposure and promotion of our Sport. This will ultimately result in a better marketing and sponsorship strategy, generating additional sources of revenue for the IWF. The international sport environment is a very competitive and challenging one and weightlifting is part of an ecosystem having many other proposals and concepts. In a fast-changing, digital era only those ones able to change and constantly renovate can have success. Efforts must also be done in the sport presentation at our events. Going to a sport competition is an entire ‘experience’ for spectators on-site and viewers online – we need to make that ‘experience’ enjoyable and exciting. Also, we need to bring the Sport closer to our fans – urban or street events have been organised (many of them proposing different competition formats), but we definitively need to devote our attention to this aspect. Just look at how much the IOC is valuing these concepts, with the 3x3 basket, or the skateboard. As you see, we continue to have a lot of ideas, and most importantly, the motivation and the necessary unity to make them happen! Let’s now enjoy the Games and wish the best of luck to all the athletes competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics! By Pedro AdregaIWF
