IWF President's message

Dear Colleagues, Dear Friends,

Following the first IWF Executive Board meeting and Congress held after the elections and the very successful 2017 IWF Junior World Championships held in the Olympic city of Tokyo, JPN, it is timely to assess major events from the past period.

Reflecting on IOC Executive Board decision on the Tokyo 2020 programme, we published a brief note regarding the principles set by Agenda 2020 in maximizing events, reducing number of participating athletes and gender equality.

After the IOC Executive Board meeting, I had a call from Thomas Bach, IOC President informing me about the serious decision taking into consideration the interest of the IOC Family.

The below stated facts intend to clarify the ongoing series of structural changes within the Games and the Olympic Movement’s mutation already underway in the past years. The aim of becoming more youth-focused and more urban is reached through an increase of events, an overall reduction of 285 athletes from Rio 2016, and the highest representation of female athletes in Olympic history.
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