Fulda Tournament 2009 Results
Fulda Tournament 2009 Results
First launch of IWF Live Results System at Bucharest
At the 2009 Junior World Championships the IWF will launch for the first time its new technology innovation: the Live Results System. Following the successful tests at the Youth World Championships of ChiangMai and at the Pan-American Championships of Chicago, the IWF will now implement its new Live Results at the Junior World Championships starting on 15 June 2009 in Bucharest. As soon as competitions begin, selecting the appropriate fields in the Timetable will display the real time scoreboard or the results - depending on the current status of the competition. This service on the IWF website is provided only at events organised with the IWF Technology and Information System (TIS).
No Austria comeback by Olympic champ Steiner
Olympic gold-medal winner Matthias Steiner has ruled out a return to Austria. The Austria-born weightlifter won gold at last summer's Olympic Games in Beijing for Germany. He joined that country's weight-lifting federation after falling out with the Austrian Weightlifters Association over training methods in 2005. Speaking to ORF.at, Steiner said today (Weds): "Performing for Austria again is unthinkable. First, I have become too strongly connected to the German Weightlifting Association. And second, I couldn't fully trust anyone." The 26-year-old hit the headlines all-over the world for his emotional jubillance after winning the heavy-weightlifting competition in Beijing - and for holding a picture of his deceased wife before the cameras after he was awarded the gold medal. Susann Steiner died when a German driver crashed into her car in 2007 at high speed. Looking back on his decision to leave Lower Austria and settle down in Germany to compete for that country, Steiner has no regrets. He said: "Of course, I would do everything the same way again. That is how I succeeded, obviously. "But there are no borders for me (after assuming German citizenship). The way of life is so similar in both countries that I feel welcome everywhere. But it is a fact I was able to pursue my dream only in Germany," he explained. Steiner said the problem with Austrian sports bodies was their many honorary department chiefs. "Everyone claims a say, but too many cooks spoil the broth," he said. Steiner added it would be "very hard" to become Olympic weightlifting champion in the Austrian system. Doping is an issue that is currently shattering Austria. Several respected cyclists and cross-country skiers have been accused or rumoured to have engaged in doping. Steiner shrugs off any accusations against him. He said: "I was checked 15 times during the Olympic year. The doping-check system is very strict in Germany." Steiner added his next goal was to return to the world elite after successfully recovering from groin surgery. (Austrian
BOC names new board of directors
THE Bahrain Olympic Committee's (BOC) new board of directors was announced during the ordinary meeting of the general assembly held at the National Stadium's conference hall in Riffa. The meeting, chaired by present president Shaikh Isa bin Rashid Al Khalifa, saw 11 of Bahrain's senior sports officials vie for seven posts within the committee board for the next three years. Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa had already won the majority of votes to become the next BOC president. Among the candidates were officials representing the sports associations of soccer, tennis, swimming, maritime sports, athletics, cycling, weightlifting and bodybuilding, handball, volleyball, equestrian and endurance, martial arts and basketball. Committee Winning posts at the new committee board include Bahrain Basketball Association president Adel Al Assomi (16 votes), Bahrain Football Association presidnt Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa (15) and president of the Bahrain Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Association Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa (13). Other members are Bahrain Cycling Association president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa (13), Bahrain Handball Association president Ali Isa (13), Dawood Hussain (11) and Jehad Khalfan
Weightlifters ‘lack funds to succeed’
As the country's top Olympic event, weightlifters should qualify for US$90,000 sponsorship each year, head of the weightlifting department of national Sports Administration of Vietnam, Do Dinh Khang said. However the team received far less than it needed, he said. "Of the $90,000 budget for last year's tournaments for weightlifting and bodybuilding, we saved $50,000 for weightlifting, of which $40,000 was spent on Hoang Anh Tuan." At last year's Olympic Games in Beijing, Tuan took silver medal in the men's 56kg class - the country's only medal of the games, and only its second in history. At the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Tran Hieu Ngan took silver medal in taekwondo. However, Khang said this year, the cash-strapped weightlifting team would not be able to travel abroad for much-needed training. "This year the sport will face a lack of funds for sending athletes overseas for training and competition. It means, our athletes will have little chance against top athletes in the world," Khang said. "We have asked the national Sports Administration to provide athletes with a special nutritional regime to help them reach their top physical condition." Khang says weightlifting does not receive the sponsorship other sports such as football, volleyball, swimming and badminton do. Despite poor funding, weightlifters have continued to win honours in regional and world events.
Olympian Maryse Turcotte represented IWF at the IOC Athletes Forum
Former Olympian and World Championship medallist Canadian Maryse Turcotte attended the 4th International Athletes Forum organised under the auspices of the IOC in Marrakesh, Morocco, representing the International Weightlifting Federation. Here is her short report after the Forum:"As the IWF athletes' representative at the 4th IOC International Athletes Forum, I was involved in the working group "Health protection in training and competition". The working group I was involved in was very important in my opinion for two reasons. The first is directly linked to my recent retirement from the sport: I am now able to bring some reflexions about the improvement of athletes' health during their career. The second touches my recent diplomation in Medicine: as a physician I think it is important to offer counseling and support to high level athletes. I hope that my comments during the discussions contributed to build final recommendations for IOC leaders.The Hon. Dr. Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC, was also present for the final conclusions and recommendations."
