IWF Hits Back at Timeline Complaints

(ATR) The International Weightlifting Federation’s timeline for holding constitutional and electoral congresses faces criticism from some within the federation.

The IWF executive board announced on Thursday the launch of a consultation period for its draft governance reforms. The governance review and proposed constitution were sent to IWF member federations and external stakeholders including the IOC, WADA and ITA.

"The IOC advised the IWF to reverse the order of the Congresses and that is what the IWF has now done. In addition, a key part of the revised timeline is the opportunity that has now been given to the IOC to provide its advice on the proposed governance reform," the federation tells Around the Rings.

Stakeholder comments will be accepted until March 31 and any issues would be considered in April with a final draft being presented to members in time for a constitutional congress in June. The date for holding an electoral congress under the new constitution is a little less firm.

The IWF, in a release, said the "elections will be dependent on the date of this Constitutional Congress, whether IWF Member Federations adopt the reforms and the final nature of the reforms. Based on the proposed Constitution sent to IWF Member Federations, the IWF Executive Board anticipates that elections may be held in October."

Waiting until October for new elections is not sitting well with some.

Reiko Chinen, a member of the IWF Technical Committee, said on social media that the executive board still doesn’t understand the IOC mandate of correcting "in a satisfactory and TIMELY way" the governance and doping issues that have run the IWF afoul of the IOC.

Chinen is calling for the constitutional congress to be held by the end of April with the elections held before the Olympic Games begin in July.

She added that there are "wise and normal members" of the IWF board who share her opinion but "[u]nfortunately we have too many gangsters" in the EB. She said more member federations must "realize our problem and speak out" for earlier dates for the congresses.

Ursula Papandrea, who was ousted as interim president in October by the EB and was one of 11 presidential candidates running under the old constitution, has sent her suggestions for a timeline in a letter to the executive board.

She would like the constitutional congress to be held on May 25, with the new constitution delivered to members by April 24.

As for the electoral congress, she suggests an immediate call for the candidature process to begin with a deadline of May 5 for submitting an application. Eligible candidates would be announced on June 4 with the election being held on July 4-5.

But the federation tells ATR that the elections cannot be held before the Olympics.

"It was never a possibility to have the Electoral Congress before the Olympics if the new constitution were to be approved first," the IWF says.

"The new draft of the IWF Constitution includes a stipulation that nominations should be made 90 days ahead of elections, and that detailed eligibility checks should be carried out. Now is not a time to go against the Constitution."

Written and reported by Gerard Farek

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