News

Working Group on IWF rules met in Budapest

A Working Group met at the IWF Secretariat in Budapest for three days to elaborate the Draft of the 2009-2012 edition of the IWF's Constitution, Technical & Competition Rules. The Group included Dr. Tamás Aján, IWF President, Sam Coffa, IWF 1st Vice President, Anikó Németh-Móra, IWF Director, Attila Ádámfi, IWF Competition Director and other members of the Secretariat.As has been tradition in the Federation, a complete Draft of the IWF Handbook will be prepared, incorporating the modifications proposed and discussed in the last three years, and sent to the National Federations several months prior to the Electoral Congress for study before approval. Delegates will vote to approve the new Constitution and Rules on 3-4 April 2009 in Madrid, at the next Electoral Congress of the IWF.

Circular

To the Presidents of the IWF AffiliatedNational Weightlifting Federations Dear Presidents, Dear Ladies and Gentlemen and Colleagues,   Following the wonderful and very successful Beijing Olympic Games we have to look at the future and therefore I would like to inform you of the following three important things:   As we have previously informed you in 2009 the IWF will hold its Electoral Congress. Therefore I would like to kindly ask you to consider your candidates for the IWF official functions. The detailed information (forms, application, etc.) regarding the Congress will be sent to you in October 2008. Please make sure that you comply with the application deadlines! The IWF Constitution & Rules modification Congress will take place at the same time as the Electoral Congress in Madrid, Spain at the end of March beginning of April 2009. The exact date and details will be sent in October 2008 and I kindly ask you to ensure your participation on this important event. With regard to the new Olympic cycle, please note that the 2009, 2010 and 2011 World Senior Weightlifting Championships will all be Qualification Events to the 2012 Olympic Games. You may order the refereelicence stamp(s) for 2009-2012 for their international referees from the IWF SecretariatReferee Licence Cat. 1 - US$200Referee Licence Cat. 2 - US$100Any new referee card (whether Cat. 2 or Cat. 1) costs US$200 - including the licence. I hope to see you in Madrid next year! Yours sincerely,   Dr. Tamás AjánIWF PresidentIOC Member

20th Anniversary of Seoul Olympics – Goyang City prepares for 2009 WWC

Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, celebrations were held in the Korean capital. Among all Olympic cities Seoul is the one most treasuring the Olympic traditions. The benefits and the legacy of the 1988 Games have reached into the present.The 20th Anniversary was celebrated with a scientific Symposium where, besides memories from Seoul 1988, the spell of the latest Olympics in Beijing was still lingering among the participants. The exceptional success of the Olympic weightlifting competitions in China was a frequent subject of conversations.Fifty-five lecturers were invited, among them Dr. Tamás Aján, President of the IWF. The opening address was held by Mr. Seh-Jik Park, then President of the SOCOG.Dr. Aján also met the hosts of the 2009 World Championships in Goyang City . The Korean hosts are determined to stage the best and most successful Championships in history. Following ChiangMai this is no minor challenge but the Koreans are facing it confidently. Goyang City is developing dynamically; its Mayor Mr. Hyun-Suk Kang, a most vigorous person, keeps everyone on the alert. His partner in the organisation is Mr. Sung-Yong Choi, KWF Vice President and President of the OC.The venue, the KINTEX center is one of the world's best multifunctional facilities. The IWF President deems the competition and training venue is expected to be of higher standard than ever before, matching even Olympic requirements.Accommodation will be provided in a 5 star hotel on the outskirts of Seoul, half-an-hour to the competition venue. Meals will not be a problem, given that dishes from Western, Asian and Arabic kitchen will all be available.In the year prior to the Olympic Qualification World Championships (November 2009), the IWF is planning to make four technical visits to Goyang City aspiring to the rank of Host of Best WC in

Greek Federation to co-host University World Championships

A recent inspection visit by FISU Technical Chair for Weightlifting, Mrs. Anikó Németh-Móra, in the company of representatives of the Greek Weightlifting Federation at the site of the 2008 World University Championships finalized all outstanding issues of this first-ever event held fully under the umbrella of FISU. The final touches were added to the Technical Regulation of the WUWC 2008 of Komotini, whereas entries are already arriving at the IWF and at the Organising Committee.Professional input from the Greek Weightlifting Federation, by a staff headed by no-one lesser than Mr. George Iliou, Competition Manager of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, will be added to the organisation of the Championships at the Democritus University of Komotini, which is to be found in the North-Eastern part of Greece. On her way to Komotini, Mrs. Németh stopped in Athens where she was met by Mr. Stavros Douvis, General Secretary of Sport and was also received by Mr. Ioannis Ioannidis, Minister for Sport, both assuring the Federations of their full support. Nominations for Technical Officials are still accepted by the IWF, before 5 October 2008. Send your Entries to the World University Championships, downloading Forms from its website

Dr. Tamás Aján receives Honorary Doctorate at Korean Hanyang University

The President of Hanyang University (Seoul, Korea) Prof. Kim Jong-ryang presented the Honorary Doctorate of Public Administration Diploma to Dr. Tamás Aján in an awarding ceremony held at this prestigious University. Dr. Aján was honoured for his outstanding services in the development of international sport, the promotion of the Olympic Movement and in particular for his distinguished contribution to the successful organisation of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. Dr. Aján later delivered an address at the international Symposium held to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Seoul Olympic Games and was met by Mr. Yu In-chon, Korean Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism.  

Hossein Rezazadeh at the IWF office

Shortly after his retirement (prior to the 2008 Olympic Games) due to health reasons, Iran's two-times superheavyweight Olympic Champion Hossein Rezazadeh was appointed as the Head Coach of the Iranian team. His first trip abroad in this new function took him to Hungary, where a mini national team are having a training camp at the National Training Centre of Tata. Rezazadeh paid a visit to the IWF Secretariat in Budapest where he was welcomed by the staff, in the absence of President Dr. Aján, and was interviewed by the media. The great Iranian champion was accompanied by György Szalai (Olympic bronze medallist and World Cup winner from Hungary) now Chief Coach of the Iranian Junior weightlifting team.