Salama works for Egypt
The Egyptian federation contracted Maged Salama as a new national trainer for women. Salama was earlier the coach for Matthias Steiner in
Weightlifter next Iba recipient
The Rotary Club of Tulsa announced that Olympic weightlifter Melanie Roach, who placed sixth at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, will be the 2009 female recipient of the Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Award. Roach and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the male recipient, will be honored at the 16th annual Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Awards, set for June 15. The Iba Awards, created by the Rotary Club of Tulsa and named in memory of former Oklahoma State basketball coach Henry Iba, are given to athletes who excel in their sport and who show a desire to help others. Roach bears a heavy burden even when not competing. She and her husband, Dan, have three kids. A son, Drew, was diagnosed with autism at 2 1/2 years old. Roach is a member of Athletes Against Autism, an initiative aimed at raising awareness and raising funds for research into finding causes, effective treatments and a cure for autism. Roach, who set an American record at the 2008 Olympics, is the 14th Olympic participant and first lifter to be chosen as a female Iba Awards recipient. Roach became the first U.S. woman to clean and jerk more than double her body weight. An injury caused her to miss the 2000 Olympics, then she set weights aside to start a family. She came out of retirement in 2005 to train for Beijing. Other past female Iba recipients are basketball players Rebecca Lobo, Dawn Staley and Tamika Catchings; softball player Lisa Fernandez; swimmers Jenny Thompson and Megan Quann Jendrick; tennis player Andrea Jaeger; soccer player Michelle Akers; figure skater Nancy Kerrigan; golfers Amy Alcott and Nancy Lopez, and track icon Jackie Joyner-Kersee.(Tulsa
World Cup in New Caledonia cancelled due to General Elections
Ronald Frere, President of New Caledonia Federation sent this message: "Dear Friends, It is with great regret to inform you that the 2009 World Cup which was supposed to be held on May 3rd to 7th, has been cancelled in New Caledonia. This decision was taken after consultation with the IWF / OWF. The reason for canceling the event, is that the Government of New Caledonia was to have their General Election in the month of April. But they have now changed it to the month of May, the same week as the World Cup. Consequently the New Caledonia television, RFO, has had no choice but to pull out of the telecast, locally and internationally and therefore we were left with no other choice but to cancel the World Cup. Yours sincerely, Ronald Frere, President NEW CALEDONIA WEIGHTLIFTING FEDERATION"
CAS dismissed Greek weightlifters’ appeal, confirming the IWF sanctions
10 out of 11 Greek weightlifters who had tested positive on an Out-of-Competition testing in March 2008, filed an appeal to CAS on the 7th July 2008 against the IWF Hearing Panel’s decision of the 4th June 2008.CAS (Court of Arbitration in Sport) held its hearing on the 15th January in Athens and issued its ruling on 6th March 2009 as follows: The appeal filed on 7th July 2008 by the athletes against the decision issued on the 4th June 2008 by the doping Hearing Panel of the International Weightlifting Federation is dismissed. The decision issued on the 4th June 2008 by the doping Hearing Panel of the International Weightlifting Federation is confirmed. A suspension of two years is imposed on the athletes commencing on the 7th March
Arnold Schwarzenegger & Steiner Meet – Story by Randall J. Strossen
Matthias Steiner came to the Arnold Sports Festival hoping to meet California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the IronMind Invitational provided the perfect setting. Olympic gold medalist Matthias Steiner said that Governor Schwarzenegger was his hero and the possibility of Arnold being in Beijing fueled both his final preparation and his dramatic performance on the lifting platform. Showing just how seriously he took Steiner's Olympic victory, this afternoon Governor Schwarzenegger chatted with Steiner before the lifting started on the main stage of the Exposition Hall of Greater Columbus Convention Center; he sat ringside throughout the entire exhibition, and then came on the stage to chat some more with Steiner and his German Olympic teammates. Steiner told IronMind that Governor Schwarzenegger explained how he had originally trained as a weightlifter because that was the system in Austria, and only later did he train as a bodybuilder; and that the man who has made the name Arnold known the world over was quick to extoll the many benefits of weightlifting. Signaling the importance of the event, German television had sent multiple crews to cover the anticipated meeting between the two men, creating a media frenzy around a weightlifter never seen before the Arnold Sports Festival and rivaling anything seen abroad. Arnold Weightlifting Championship attracted the entire of 213 men and 48 women. Best male liftier became Patrick Mendes, BW 125,94kg, snatch 160kg, clean and jerk 195kg, total of 355kg, 367,8 points. Best female liftier became Bass Kendal, BW 85,05, 85+110=195kg,
Change in leadership of Algerian Weightlifting Federation
Abdellaou Larbi (42) has been elected as the new President of Federation Algerienne d'Halterophilie replacing Hasni Fekir. The new General Secretary is Cherrak Hadj Ahmed. The Technical Director is Chekri Youcef. The new President collected 51 votes while the other candidate, Yataguène Mohamed Rezki obtained 21 votes. President Abdellaoui Larbi succeeds Hasni Fekir who was elected Vice-President of the Weightlifting Federation of Africa of in Tunis. Abdellaoui Larbi : I used to be a lifter but only on national level. I participated in various championships of Algeria. Later I worked as a trainer, then as a technical director in sports, and as director of the sports complex of Bourouba. My program is based on the development of weightlifting through the whole country, that is to create new centers. It is necessary to attack in particular the schools because the training is very inferior, especially some of our children have an untrue image of our sport. They think that the practice of weightlifting limits their growth. It is very important to quickly deprive them of this silly idea.(
