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Stay tuned for ITA’s five webinars on anti-doping education starting on November 7

The month of November will be a busy one in terms of anti-doping education, with the staging of five webinars by the International Testing Agency (ITA). Every Tuesday, from November 7 to December 5, all participants will be able to be briefed and discuss on several topics related to anti-doping. For the weightlifting family, this initiative is part of the #ILiftClean campaign and follows joint activities by the IWF and the ITA at our major events of the year – in 2023, at the IWF World Youth Championships in March, at the IWF World Championships in September and at the next IWF World Junior Championships in November. The five-webinar series starts on November 7 with the theme “Introduction to anti-doping – Overview of the system, rights and responsibilities, ADRVs”. On the following week, participants are invited to discuss “The Doping Control Process – Testing procedures (urine and blood) and ABP”, while the third webinar, on November 21 will deal with “Medications, Supplements, Prohibited List and TUEs (including the principle of Strict Liability)”. Seven days later, the fourth online rendezvous will present the “Principles and values of clean sport, including sanctions, consequences and speaking up”. The last webinar, on December 5, will focus on “Out-of-competition testing – Requirements of RTP/TP, whereabouts, and use of ADAMS”. The five seminars will be held, every Tuesday, from 14h00 to 15h00 (CET time) and will be run in English (with simultaneous translation in Arabic, French, Mandarin Chinese, Russian and Spanish). Those attending all five webinars will receive a final certificate. Participants must sign up for each session using the links below:   November 7, 2023:https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Xm_gvjs-QYGKJlniy8eYpQ#/registration November 14, 2023:https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_95BuSqKwQv2HLSWdR5UX1A#/registration November 21, 2023:https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dsz4HzxFQg2Spt4f46Rhcw#/registration November 28, 2023:https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dQGS3Jp4TP6nDoqCXfwNsw#/registration December 5, 2023:https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BRltP_YqREyTbLe2-Rz_VQ#/registration

Pyrros Dimas (GRE) elected President of the Mediterranean Confederation

The Electoral Congress of the Mediterranean Weightlifting Confederation (MWC), held in Sliema, Malta, on October 7, has chosen a new Executive Board, chaired by the three-time Olympic champion Pyrros Dimas, from Greece. These elections reflected a climate of great unity within the MWC, with most of the decisions taken by unanimous acclamations. Besides Dimas, the Congress chose Manareddin Eshelli (LBA) as General Secretary, while Jesmond Caruana (MLT) and Ahmed Abdelmaksoud (EGY) are the new Vice-Presidents of the organisation. The MWC Board is completed with the following members: Bossian David (FRA), Maurizio Lo Buono (ITA), Nedim Masic (BIH), Boubaker Bechradui (TUN) and Kamel Saidi (ALG).  “Our goal is to make weightlifting bigger, more beautiful, and to elevate it to the position it rightfully deserves,” considered Dimas after his election.  The IWF was present on this important occasion, with its Secretary General Antonio Urso travelling to Malta and President Mohammed Jalood greeting all the Congress participants through an online message. IWF Executive Board Members and respectively President of the African Weightlifting Federation and European Weightlifting Federation, Khaled Mehalhel and Antonio Conflitti were also in Sliema.  The new MWC President Pyrros Dimas (GRE) The MWC Congress was held on the occasion of a very successful edition of the XIII Mediterranean Weightlifting Cup and Malta International Open, staged from October 6-8 in the tiny Mediterranean

2024-2032 IWF Strategic Plan, Pillar 4: Reaching beyond the IWF

After looking at ways of enhancing the three pillars that are at the core of the IWF activities – its Athletes, its Events, and its own Administration –, the fourth pillar of the 2024-2032 IWF Strategic Plan focuses on seizing the best opportunities around the IWF structure so that they can be properly promoted. As stated in the Plan, “doing things well is not enough. The world must know and value them. That is why the external environment is almost as important as the IWF itself. Communication campaigns must tell our audiences the stories of our athletes and successful events, by all possible means and platforms. This will definitively enhance the IWF brand, leading to more commercial and broadcasting opportunities, in a market that is quite competitive. Weightlifting fans also deserve to be part of the IWF family and spread the message further”.   This important aspect includes five sub-pillars in the IWF Strategic Plan, all equally important: Marketing and sponsoring, Communication and promotion, Broadcast Rights and production, Exploring Digital possibilities, and Fan engagement.   Identified as a weakness in the present status of the IWF development, the need for additional effort in the areas of marketing and sponsoring is deemed essential. As an important opportunity to generate more income, a marketing strategy is necessary: after consolidating and reinforcing its brand, our International Federation will be able to attract new partners, interested in associating their image with a successful and respected Sport. For that, sponsorship categories must be created and sold, marketing programmes must be established within the frame of major IWF events, and long-term commercial partnerships must be secured. The creation of a specific Marketing Department within the IWF structure is essential.   Also of paramount importance are the efforts in terms of communication and promotion. The positive messaging coming from our successful competitions must be highlighted, through all possible traditional and digital platforms. Specific campaigns around topics that are capable of mobilising fans and institutional partners (human rights, gender equity, climate change, clean sport…) need to be reinforced. The IWF should also be capable of strengthening long-term relationships with respected media outlets around the world, thus ensuring that our content reaches a wider audience. The celebration of the IWF’s 120th and 125th anniversary, respectively in 2025 and 2030 are two privileged occasions to showcase our past, but most importantly our future action.   One of the means that remains fundamental in the exposure of any Sport is its presence on the TV screens. The IWF is no exception to that rule. Whether on traditional TV or in other digital channels, solid broadcasting agreements remain a strong added-value in this strategy. The enhancement of the TV production at our events and a more efficient distribution of the TV signal worldwide should also be prioritised. A better share of the costs related to these operations between the IWF and hosts of IWF events is to be envisaged.   At the end of the day, the major goal of those concepts is to enhance the fans’ experience related to weightlifting. The IWF should therefore explore all opportunities related to the gaming and esports landscape, so that our Sport can reach new and younger audiences. With the advent of more sophisticated and immersive technology, the sports industry has to introduce new ways of presenting its product.   But at the same time the weightlifting “experience” is accessible with one touch on a mobile phone screen or with a successful post on social media channels, the variety of fans following (and eventually practicing) our Sport must be enlarged. The creation of a “Weightlifting for All” programme or the inclusion of the massive Masters Movement within the IWF structure must follow this global effort on promotion and wider exposure of weightlifting in the five continents.   By IWF Communications   Photos by Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia 

Athletes discuss the future of the Olympic Movement in Lausanne

Forrester Osei, the Chair of the IWF Athletes Commission (AC) was the representative of our International Federation in the 11th International Athletes’ Forum (IAF) that gathered this week in Lausanne (SUI) more than 400 athlete representatives to discuss a series of matters across the Olympic Movement.  AC members from 181 National Olympic Committees (NOC), 54 International Federations (IF), the World Anti-Doping Agency, the International Paralympic Committee, Organising Committees for the upcoming Olympic Games and Continental Associations, as well as members of the Athletes’ Declaration Steering Committee and representatives from the World Olympians Association, were present in the Olympic capital. During the two-day Forum, discussions among participants focused on three main areas: Olympic Games-related initiatives: “Road to Paris” Pilot Project – an initiative giving more flexibility to sporting good brands to promote their sponsored athletes in the run-up to and at the Paris Games. Social Media Guidelines – innovative opportunities for athletes during Games time to raise their profile by sharing their Olympic journey with their fans. The guidelines will be released in the next few weeks. Professional experience for athlete representatives – NOCs were encouraged to have the Chair or a member of their AC as part of their delegation to support them during the Games, learn about the work of other NOCs, and benefit from this operational experience as an asset for their career transition. Forrester Osei (IWF AC Chair) with Kit McConnell (IOC Sports Director) Support for the network of Athletes’ Commissions: Administrative Support to Athletes’ Commissions – Building on the dedicated support to ACs that the continental associations are already providing, NOCs and IFs are encouraged to provide their ACs with administrative support, to support the running of the commissions and assist in the delivery of athlete-centred activities. Safe Sport – Athletes’ Commission members to be safe sport ambassadors, including participation in the Safeguarding Officer in Sport programme, and put into practice the important learnings they received during the dedicated safeguarding workshop. Athlete rights, clean sport and integrity – It was announced that new implementation guidance will be launched soon to support the Olympic Movement stakeholders in the important work of adopting and implementing the Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration in their respective organisations. Support for athletes directly: Olympic Movement funding model – Participants were presented with the Olympic Movement funding model and were informed about the athlete support programmes that exist for all athletes globally through the IOC, NOCs, and IFs as a result of the Olympic Solidarity model. The IOC AC will look into ways to further promote and explain the details of Rule 40 and its impact on athletes during the Olympic Games. Mental health A dedicated mental health helpline will be available for all Paris 2024 Olympians and Paralympians. Athletes competing in the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will then have access to the fully confidential and 24/7 Mental Health Helpline (in 70 languages) for the entire Olympiad (i.e. the four-year period). Additionally, it was announced that athletes will be able to benefit from one-year premium subscriptions to a leading mindfulness app to improve their sleep, enhance focus, alleviate anxious thoughts or for any other reasons. This offer will be launched on Athlete365 on 10 October, to coincide with World Mental Health Day. OBS opportunities – In collaboration with Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), two OBS training programmes will be taking place from September to November. This initiative provides training for Olympians and Paralympians, preparing them for career opportunities during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Athlete365 app – Athlete representatives gave their feedback on the development of the Athlete365 app. This will be available in time for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to facilitate easier access to all information and resources that are available for athletes and their entourage before, during, and after the Games. Forrester Osei at the ITA booth The Forum concluded with a two-hour Q&A session with the IOC President Thomas Bach, who engaged directly with the athlete representatives and replied to their questions on various topics of the Olympic Movement. Reflecting on the IAF, Forrester Osei underlined that “it represented a privileged opportunity to meet my counterparts around other sports and regions of the world. This is quite important as we understand that we have a lot of common problems and that only together, sharing our experiences, we can find more efficient solutions to those challenges”. The IWF AC Chair also shared his satisfaction with the way athletes are represented and heard within the IWF structure: “Many were surprised to know that the IWF has three AC members in its Executive Board, with full voting rights. This is also valid for the IWF Congress”. Mr Osei then concluded: “This shows the IWF's willingness to put the athletes’ voice at the core of our decisions. This level of athlete representation is almost unprecedented in other International Federations, so we can proudly say we are leading the way on this matter”. IWF Communications, with IOC Press

EWF Cup in Ancient Olympia (GRE): “It will be part of the sport’s history”

The first edition of the European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) Cup was successfully held last weekend in Ancient Olympia (GRE), the birthplace of the Olympic Games, and the privileged venue where the Olympic flame is lit before each edition of the Games. In this so special location, 20 mixed-gender multinational teams coming from twelve European countries and the IWF Refugee Team, each with two competitors (one female and one male), competed in the event. The teams were randomly selected in a drawing ceremony and were named after famous Greek ancient cities.   40 weightlifters from France, Great Britain, Germany, Israel, Moldova, Romania, Spain, Cyprus, Turkey, Bulgaria, Poland, and Greece evolved with enthusiasm in the new format competition. Furthermore, the presence of two athletes from the IWF Refugee Team (Addriel Garcia and Parisa Jahanfekrian) added relevance and global impact to the competition. Parisa Jahanfekrian (second from the left) and Addriel Garcia (third from the right) were the representatives of the IWF Refugee Team Saturday’s activities began in the morning with the first of five sessions. Each athlete had a five-minute window to complete the snatch, followed by a five-minute opportunity to complete the clean and jerk trying to achieve the best result through no more than three attempts per each style. At the end of the day, Toma Loredana and Lucas Muller from Team Knossos clinched the top spot with an impressive 645.98 Sinclair points. They were closely followed by Hernandez Alba and Arthur Mugurudumov from Team Thiva, who secured 644.63 points. The third place was claimed by Team Athina, represented by Erin Barton and Hardal Ferdi, with a score of 643.54 points. Thanks to their performances, each of the teams got respectively 4’000€, 2’000€ and 1’000€ in prize money.     In terms of individual results, the best female athlete accolade was clinched by Toma Loredana from Romania, who showcased 278.59 Sinclair points. On the men’s front, Robu Marin from Moldova emerged as the best athlete with a leading score of 415.74 points.   All event participants got a unique opportunity to visit the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia. Moreover, delegates from the EWF paid special respect to the monument honouring Pierre de Coubertin, and olive trees were also planted on the International Olympic Academy’s famous soil.   The IWF Athletes Commission Chairman, Forrester Osei from Ghana, added to the event’s energy. Osei was essential in energising the crowd, interviewing athletes, and boosting the competitive spirit, together with Damjan Canzek from Slovenia and Alexandru Padure from Romania, both members of the EWF’s family. Antonio Conflitti, the EWF President, addressing some words during the event Before the actual competition was held, educational activities were carried out on Friday, in the presence of the EWF leadership, but also with the IWF First Vice-President Ursula Papandrea, the IWF Vice-President Pyrros Dimas, and the IWF EB member Florian Sperl in attendance. A special guest, Mr. Peter Brull, the Sports Director of the European Olympic Committees, honored the EWF with his presence and praised the steps taken by the weightlifting continental body for the development of the sport in the Old Continent.   The educational seminar sessions started with an inspiring presentation by Dr. Evangelis Albanidis from the Democritus University of Thrace on the “Humanistic symbolism of Olympia and the Olympic values”. Important information about general Anti-Doping topics and the prohibited substances list was provided by Ms. Sophia Manolopoulou – Head of scientific support and quality at the Hellenic National Anti-Doping Agency. The educational activities concluded with the intervention of the IWF Medical Committee Member, Dr. Georgios Tsikouris, who captivated the attention of the participants with the presentation and practical demonstration about arthroscopy for weightlifters with hip injuries.   Olympic champion Zygmunt Smalcerz, one of the event’s coaches, expressed his happiness at the end of the EWF Cup. “The commitment, the enthusiasm, and the spirit — it’s been an experience like no other. Olympia is a shining example of athletic brilliance once more. Weightlifting needs this,” he said.   The EWF President and IWF Executive Board member Antonio Conflitti also praised the outcome of the competition: “Probably the biggest success of this event is the unity that was achieved among the participants. It was wonderful to see a competitor from one country supporting a lifter from another country. It demonstrated once again that sport has no boundaries. I am grateful to everyone who recognised the significance of this event, 12 national federations, as well as to the IWF Refugee team who all participated at this event. EWF expresses its special gratitude to the International Olympic Academy who offered their resources to make the athletes’ dream a reality, to compete in Ancient Olympia, and to the Greek Weightlifting Federation for its great effort. The EWF Cup in Olympia has now become part of the sport's history and heritage”.   The evening’s closing ceremony was graced by the mesmerizing performance of the dancers of the Dance Theater ART, renowned for their role in the various official ceremonies of the lighting of the Olympic Flame in Olympia. A poignant moment in their act was the representation of the athlete Bybon’s remarkable achievement dated in the 6th century B.C., where he lifted a staggering 143.5kg rock over his head, with a single hand, echoing the timeless spirit of Olympia. Among the distinguished attendees were Fotis Kostarias, Vice Mayor of Olympia responsible for sports, the three-time Olympic champion Pyrros Dimas, and the leadership of the EWF, including Board Members and IWF representatives.   As host of the successful event, Mr Kostarias considered: “Olympia has once again proven to be the cradle of athletic excellence. This event has seamlessly blended our rich heritage with modern-day prowess.” Mr Dimas, a national hero in Greece, added: “To witness such an event in Olympia, where legends were born, has been an overwhelming experience. The future of weightlifting shines bright”.   Text and photos by EWF

2024-2032 IWF Strategic Plan, Pillar 3: Keeping the IWF safe

It is clearly written in the Strategic Plan: “Good governance, accountability, transparency, and ethics should always come first when evaluating the reputation of a sports organisation. This is also true for the IWF. Mechanisms to ensure all those values are in place and functioning need to be constantly reinforced and monitored. The solidity of an international federation is also built on the capacity it has to generate revenues, allocate resources to its valuable human resources and, of course, develop the best possible relations with other entities with which it relates”. The third pillar of the 2024-2032 IWF Strategic Plan relates to a fundamental aspect: building up and reinforcing the reputation of our international federation, guaranteeing at the same time its financial sustainability, or to put it simply: Keeping the IWF safe. After focusing on Athletes and on Events, we analyse this week all the mechanisms capable of guaranteeing the best standards in the implementation of the IWF activities. This chapter naturally begins by highlighting the importance of ensuring a good governance strategy, by which all the IWF stakeholders abide by the Constitution. Emphasis is put towards transparency in everything the IWF, its Continental and National Federations are doing, and equally on the sanctions to be applied on those bodies or individuals not respecting these obligations. The IWF community must definitively establish a culture in which personal biases and interests are put aside and actions are taken in the collective interest of those concerned by those decisions.  This ethical behaviour is also reinforced by periodical accountability checks to the IWF finances and management. The creation of a Financial Committee is proposed – this body should be responsible for overseeing the Federation’s economic and financial status, the IWF risk management policy, and the implementation of a successful financial strategy. Periodical reports, with a clear and precise indication of the income, revenue, and audit are to be produced and published. The financial strategy is deeply linked to revenue optimisation. Recognised as one weak point in the present life of the IWF, new opportunities must be generated, namely in the areas of marketing, sponsorship, and TV rights. Other possibilities to consolidate the IWF finances may include additional funds generated by the host fees and all other income related to the organisation and staging of IWF events. On a broader approach, an Innovation Committee could be a good solution to reflect and propose new ideas for the future of the IWF, in a climate of positive internal and external debate among all our Federation’s stakeholders. A thorough study of the sports international market environment is necessary to identify new trends and opportunities, but also to know about new technological tools able to help speed up processes and working procedures within the IWF. On this topic, the approval of the IWF Strategic Plan in September was accompanied by another important decision: the working group responsible for its creation will be kept in place, this time as the Monitoring Group in charge of assessing the implementation of the Plan. Many of the above-mentioned measures can only be real if adequate human resources are allocated to the execution of these actions. The future of our international federation is linked with the growth and reinforcement of its headquarters in Lausanne, the Olympic capital. In-house staff should be prioritised over third-party providers and a clear organisational chart is to be developed.  This overall effort has to be complemented by the reinforcement of the relationship with our privileged partner, the International Olympic Committee. As an important player in the Olympic Movement, the IWF has to look into ways of improving its institutional presence within the IOC, namely by raising the number of IWF officials in the IOC Commissions or by participating in a more active way in all IOC campaigns related to the Olympic values. Finally, other institutional connections need to be reinforced – for example, with the United Nations and some of its agencies, but also with the environment around the IWF headquarters, the city of Lausanne, the Canton of Vaud, or the Federal authorities in Switzerland. More discussions with other International Federations are useful in the implementation of common projects or in the resolution of similar challenges.  The IWF President Mohammed Jalood As stated by the IWF President Mohammed Jalood in the introductory message of the Strategic Plan: “The IWF is aspiring to consolidate its place in the Olympic Movement and to reinforce its status in a very competitive sport international environment. We are fortunate to have such strong and diverse expertise and experience among our members, but as a 21st-century organisation, we need a plan for how to maximise this and ensure we reach our full potential. This is fundamental to establish priorities, to allocate resources to implement them and, equally important, to measure success”.  Mr Jalood concludes by saying that “given the eight-year period it covers, the IWF will assess the level of execution of the Strategic Plan at regular intervals. This is necessary to maintain the focus and to evaluate the implementation of certain actions, deemed urgent or essential in a given context or situation. The Plan is not set on an automatic pilot mode, we definitively need to verify and fine-tune, if necessary, its path to a destination of progress and enhanced development”. This is the third weekly article consecrated to the analysis of the 2024-2032 IWF Strategic Plan, recently approved by the IWF Congress during the IWF World Championships, in September 2023. Next Friday, we will conclude this series with the fourth and last pillar of the Plan: Reaching beyond the IWF.   By IWF Communications Photos by Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia