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OM Yun Chol is World Champion for the fifth time!

The London Olympic Gold and Rio Olympic Silver medallist North Korean lifter performed 128kg in the Snatch, gaining 8kg advance over his closest competitors. In the Clean and Jerk, he put even more distance between himself and the field and did not only win gold for this lift but easily won the Total as well. OM secured 155kg then proceeded to 163kg, which would have been a new World Record. He held the previous one too with 162kg. He failed this lift, but at the third attempt, he went even higher, to 166kg. This time, he performed a good lift and set the World Record not only in the Clean and Jerk but in Total as well, modifying the World Standard from 293kg to 294kg. Behind him in second place was Vietnamese NGUYEN Tran Anh Tuan with 120kg and bronze medallist SON Igor (KAZ) with the same result. Iranian GHASHGHAEI Hafez came in second in the Clean and Jerk with 149kg. Iran did not have a medal in the lightest men’s bodyweight category since legendary lifter in the 60’s, Mohammad Nassiri. The bronze in this lift went to AL SALEEM Mansour Abdulrahim M (KSA). Thanks to his 147kg Total result, he was third in Total too with 265kg, while SON Igor received the bronze medal in

Independent Member Federations Sanctions Panel decision on Egyptian Weightlifting Federation

The Independent Member Federations Sanctions Panel (IMFSP) has suspended the Egyptian Weightlifting Federation for a period of two years. The Egyptian Weightlifting Federation was officially informed of the decision by the IMFSP on 12 September 2019 and has 21 days from this date to appeal to CAS. The IMFSP has the sole authority to impose sanctions on Member Federations, in line with Article 12 of the IWF Anti-Doping Policy, which was approved by the IWF Executive Board in order to ensure greater independence and transparency. No further comment will be made on this matter until the period of appeal has

IWF Congress concludes ahead of record-breaking IWF World Championships

The IWF Congress took place in Pattaya today with representatives from 100 Member Federations in attendance to hear updates on the latest IWF activities and contribute their ideas and feedback. The full agenda included updates from each of the IWF Committees and Commissions as well as progress reports on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and upcoming IWF World Championships at Senior, Junior and Youth level. IWF President Tamas Ajan said: “It is always a great honour to host the IWF Congress and welcome our colleagues from around the world. It is during our Congress and World Championships that you can get a sense of what a global and widely-loved sport, weightlifting truly is. “We had a very full agenda at today but it was greatly encouraging to hear of all the fantastic work that our Committees and Commissions are doing across all areas of our sport. The last few years have seen significant enhancements across many areas of weightlifting, particularly in the strengthening of our anti-doping programme, which has been recognised by WADA and the IOC. But we know there is always room for improvement. We have many planned reforms and innovations that we heard about today that will further improve our sport and many excellent events to look forward to. Working together with all our members we have a very excited future ahead.” One of the most important updates at the Congress came from the IWF Anti-Doping Commission who reported that more than 1,100 in-competition tests have been conducted this year on athletes from 89 countries, using a number of different world-class sample collection authorities. The Commission noted a decline in the number of ineligible athletes at their events and encouraged all Member Federations to promote #iLiftCLEAN e-learning platform. The International Testing Agency (ITA) Director General Benjamin Cohen reported that more than 550 out-of-competition tests have been conducted this year by ITA, on athletes from more than 50 nations. Cohen also revealed that WADA had expressed its satisfaction with the IWF’s anti-doping programme following its audit over the summer. The IWF Development and Education Commission noted that all of its funding had been distributed through the 2019 IWF Development Programme with 71% of the Member Federations that applied for funding receiving it this year. The Commission also revealed plans for two pioneering University courses – International Sports Law and Administration Masters and Weightlifting Training Masters – which will significantly enhance knowledge and expertise within the weightlifting family. An update was provided on the IWF’s progress in good governance. IWF Director General Attila Adamfi explained the critical importance of good governance being at the heart of all the IWF’s operations and expressed the federation’s pledge to improving its score in the next ASOIF Governance Review. Good governance is crucial for all IWF stakeholders and Adamfi reported on the comprehensive external evaluation that has been conducted into the Continental Federations’ governance, using the same principles applied by ASOIF. The IWF aims to also provide guidelines for Member Federations. The Technical Committee presented on the importance of the introduction of Video Playback Technology to ensure correct officiating, which drew praise from IOC Member Ivan Dibos. The Medical Committee reiterated the importance of protecting the health and welfare of the athletes and urged Member Federations to ensure only qualified medical practitioners treated athletes. An update was also given on the IWF’s approach to transgender athletes which it confirmed would remain unchanged until after Tokyo 2020. The Coaching and Research Committee spoke of plans to establish development officers within each Continental Federation to ensure projects were tailored specifically to each continent. A report on the 2019 IWF budget was presented, with it explained that revenues were higher than originally budgeted. The budget for 2020 is set to be very positive due to the impact of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The IWF’s commitment to anti-doping was further reinforced by the fact that 40% of the IWF’s total revenue is spent on anti-doping. The Membership Commission reported that three countries – British Virgin Islands, Bermuda and St Lucia – had applied for provisional membership demonstrating the ever-growing popularity of weightlifting. The Women’s Commission informed the Congress of the progress that has been made in promoting gender equality but outlined that further steps are required to increase female representation in executive positions. Special congratulations was reserved for the Member Federation of Iran which has sent female athletes to this year’s World Championships for the first time. An update was given on the weightlifting at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the success of the Qualification System which has strengthened anti-doping and stimulated athletes to compete in broader number of events. The meeting concluded with a presentation from Peace and Sport, who encouraged Member Federations to promote peace and engage in the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, and presentations from barbell manufacturers and sponsors. The IWF Congress followed a two-day meeting of the IWF Executive Board, which took place on 15-16 September. The IWF Committees met the day before on 14 September. The IWF World Championships will take place on 18-27 September in

IWF Executive Board selects Chongqing as host of the 2022 IWF World Championships

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Executive Board (EB) today selected Chongqing, China as the host of the 2022 IWF World Championships. The decision was taken during a two-day meeting which saw constructive discussions and updates from the IWF Committees and Commissions. President of the Chinese Weightlifting Association Jinqiang Zhou presented the city’s bid to the EB which will see China host the World Championships for the first time since 1995.   During the meeting, the Development and Education Commission provided an update on the distribution of this year’s funding through the 2019 IWF Development Programme, which supports the growth of weightlifting around the world. The principles of the 2020 IWF Development Programme were also approved. Reports were given by the Membership Commission, Technical Committee, Medical Committee and Coaching and Research Committee. An update on the IWF Strategic Plan was delivered and the EB approved the principles and timeline to implement a good governance review of its Continental Federations. The IWF will then create good governance guidelines for its Member Federations. The EB also approved a technical rule change that creates the pathway for refugee athletes to compete in IWF events in the future. The EB received a report from the Anti-Doping Commission and an update from International Testing Agency’s (ITA’s) Ben Cohen, as the federation continues its commitment to protecting clean lifters and ensuring a level playing field. An update was also provided on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Qualification – a qualification system that has drawn praise from IOC President Thomas Bach and has significantly increased the number of qualification events from seven for Rio 2016, to a minimum of 62 for Tokyo 2020. The International Technical Officials for Tokyo 202, the 2020 IWF budget and minutes from the previous Board meeting were all unanimously approved. IWF President Tamas Ajan said: “We are delighted to announce Chongqing as the host of the 2022 IWF World Championships. We are sure that they will host a world-class event that will showcase the new era for weightlifting in China. “We have had a constructive Executive Board meeting here in Pattaya. It is important that all our members are able to contribute their ideas and feedback and that we engage in collaborative discussions on how best to lead our sport forward. We are at a very important time for the IWF and it is critical that we build on the strong foundation we have established for our athletes over the last few years. We will see how strong the health of weightlifting is this week during the World Championships which have attracted athletes from more nations than ever before.” The meeting took place ahead of the 2019 IWF World Championships, for which athletes from a record 100 nations are registered. The IWF Congress will meet in Pattaya on 17 September on the eve of the World

IWF Committee meetings were held in Pattaya

The IWF Committees held their meetings prior to the 2019 IWF World Championships in Pattaya, Thailand. Matters of common interest were raised at the Joint Meeting before they split to their relevant groups. The need for discussions on the situation of transgender athletes was brought to attention by Medical Committee Chairman Dr Michael Irani. [caption id="attachment_28188" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Joint Meeting[/caption] The Coaching and Research Committee discussed several topics on its meeting in Pattaya. The members agreed to set further conditions regarding the IWF Coaching Courses. Next steps of the coaching accreditation process were reviewed such as using the Athlete Support Personnel Database to create the IWF Coaching Database. The attendees listened to the scientific report of Japan which consisted of many analysis done at the Junior World Championships in Fiji in 2019. In this regard, the guidelines for publishing scientific articles on the IWF website were examined. The members will work on the standards of the IWF Weightlifting Academy that will be shared afterward. [caption id="attachment_28190" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Coaching and Research Committee[/caption] The Medical Committee had important and urgent topics on their agenda, such as: The current and future situation on the Transgender issue, Injury surveillance, and the Medical aspects of Anti-Doping. Furthermore, several research projects were presented by the Medical Committee Members such as the Hip-Waist-Girth Ratio, IWF Early Specialization/Injuries in Weightlifting, Hip Screening Protocol Using Ultrasound and Physical Examination and Result in Different Age and Capacity of Weightlifters In-Competition, and Health Promotion by International Olympic Sport Federations. The Meeting had a special guest, Ms. Seza Tchobanian Medical Committee Chairman of the Asian Weightlifting Federation, who presented the work of the AWF Medical Committee. In addition the Local Organizing Committee and IWF Medical Committee Member Dr. Parameth Ladpli gave a comprehensive presentation regarding medical information of the IWF World Championships. [caption id="attachment_27870" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Medical Committee members[/caption] The Technical Committee discussed the experiences so far with the new Video Playback Technology (VPT), which was first put to use at the 2019 Youth World Championships in Las Vegas, USA. The TC agreed to issue some changes in camera positioning and the use of the system. The TC also voted some minor changes in the TCRR and the Technical Officials Guide Book. The updated versions will be published on iwf.net soon. [caption id="attachment_27875" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Technical Committee Members[/caption]

History of Indian Women at the Worlds

Indian women have had some success at the World Weightlifting Championships since 1989 with winning a total of 16 medals at weightlifting's biggest event till now. Kunjarani Devi, Karnam Malleswari, Lalita Polley, Bharti Singh, Neelam Setti Laxmi and Saikhom Mirabai Chanu are the winners who secured medals at the said tournament. The Indian women's squadron is all set to make their mark in the forthcoming World Weightlifting Championships, which starts from September 18 in Thailand. The event will conclude on the 27th of the same month, with Padma Shri awardee Saikhom Mirabai Chanu spearheading the seven-member Indian contingent. The Indian squad, which has already started their training in Thailand, features four women lifters for the biggest event in weightlifting calendar. The tetrad of World Weightlifting Championships gold medallist, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (49kg), Asian Weightlifting Championships silver medallist, Jhilli Dalabehera (45kg), Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships gold medallist, Sneha Soren (55kg) and Rakhi Halder (64kg) will represent India in the women's category. India has won a total of 16 medals across the history of women's World Weightlifting Championships, the first of which was won by the most decorated Indian lifter Kunjarani Devi in 1989 in Manchester, England. Let's take a walk down the memory lane of India's success at the most esteemed event in weightlifting. India's most celebrated weightlifter and Padma Shri awardee Kunjarani Devi was the first lifter from the nation to earn a medal at the world championships. Kunjarani Devi is the first Indian lifter to make a mark on the world map, winning a silver medal in the 44-kg weight category, lifting 132.5 kg in the 1989 edition of the coveted world championship in Manchester, England. After a promising run in Manchester, Kunjarani participated in six consecutive world championships, with an exception of the 1993 edition in Melbourne, Australia. She won medals in every one of those big-ticket events. However, Kunjarani failed to finish at the top spot, always finding contentment with Silver medals. The first Indian women to win a medal at the Olympics, Karnam Malleswari is also a Padma Shri awardee. Malleswari won the Bronze medal in the 54 kg division after lifting a total lift of 177.5 kg at the 1993 championships in Melbourne, Australia. Since then, Malleswari won medals in three consecutive world championships. After leaving a mark in the previous World Weightlifting Championships, Malleswari earned the first Gold medal for India in the 1994 edition of weightlifting's biggest event in Istanbul, Turkey. She lifted a total of 197.5 kg in the 54 kg category. The 44-year-old lifter from Andhra Pradesh defended her Gold medal at the 1995 Weightlifting Championships in Guangzhou, China as her last lift Gold medal of 197.5 kg in the 54 kg division would have been enough to get to the top spot on the podium but she lifted a total of 202.5 kg . However, Malleswari failed to repeat her result as she had to be content with a Bronze medal in the 1996 edition of the championships, which was again hosted by Guangzhou, China. Lalita Polley is the first Indian weightlifter to win a medal in the lightweight category at the World Weightlifting Championships. Polley won the Bronze medal at the 1989 edition of weightlifting's most prestigious tournament. After a second highest snatch of 77.5 kg in the 56-kg weight category, Lalita Polley could make it to the Bronze medal with a clean & jerk lift of 87.5 kg, making the total lift of 160 kg. Bharti Singh is the only Indian lifter to win a medal in the heavyweight category. She won the second Bronze medal for India at the 1993 World Weightlifting Championships in Melbourne, Australia. A clean & jerk of 117.5 kg put Bharti Singh third on the podium with a total lift of 207.5 kg in 83-kg weight division. Neelam Setti Laxmi is the most successful Indian lifter in the lightweight category. She is also the last weightlifter to win a medal in the lightweight category. Neelam Setti Laxmi won a Silver Medal at the 1995 World Weightlifting Championships in Guangzhou, China. Laxmi lifted a total weight of 202.5 kg in the 59-kg category. Neelam Setti Laxmi also earned a Bronze medal at the 1997 Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand. After lifting a second highest snatch of 100 kg, Laxmi had to settle with Bronze as she could manage a clean & jerk lift of 117.5 kg with a total of 217.5 kg. Mirabai Chanu, who will lead India's chances at the 2019 World Weightlifting Championships became the first Indian to win the world championships since Karnam Malleswari in 1995. At the age of 23, Chanu won the Gold medal in the Women's 48 kg category after lifting a competition record total of 194 kg, 85 kg in snatch and 109 kg in clean & jerk in the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships in Anaheim, CA, United States of America. Chanu lifted 1 kg more than Thailand's Thunya Sukcharoen, who stood second on the podium. For her biggiest achievement at the World Championships, and later a gold at the Commonwealth Games 2018, Chanu was also awarded Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2018. Source: