New Leaders at PanAm Weightlifting

(ATR) A hard fought election brings a near total change in leadership for the Pan American Weightlifting Federation.

After a long day Feb. 22 in Santo Domingo, Peruvian José Quiñones won by two votes to William Ozuna who had chaired the Pan American Federation for 12 years.

"We are a team," Quiñones told Around the Rings, a member of the Executive Board of the International Weightlifting Federation.

Good governance, restructuring and transparency of the budget and equity in the development plans of the federations will be immediate tasks says Quiñones.

A former president of the Peruvian Olympic Committee Quiñones was a key figure in the conquest of Lima for the 2019 Pan American Games.

The new PAWF Executive Board is made up of Quiñones, William Peña (COL) Secretary General, Gustavo Malgor (ARG) 1st Vice President, Luis Seijas (VEN) Vice President, Andres Vargas (PUR) Vice President. Phil Andrews (USA) was elected treasurer. Nadia Alvarado (MEX), Luis Zambrano (ECU) and Henry Phillips (PAN) were elected to the board as well.

The new Executive Board held its first meeting on the same day and selected three other members. Andrew Callender (BAR) - representing the interests of the Caribbean, Juan Carlos Aburto (CHI) representing the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago and Osmar Urbieta (PAR) for the host of the 2022 South American Games in Asunción.

USA Weightlifting CEO Phil Andrews was also appointed as General Director. The PAWF headquarters will move to Colorado Springs where USA Weightlifting maintains its office.

The President of the Dominican Olympic Committee and IOC member Luis Mejia Oviedo and Peruvian Ivan Dibós, honorary member of the IOC, attended the assembly.

The IWF was represented by Mohammed Jalood, Secretary General, Intarat Yodbangtoey, 1st Vice President, Nicu Vlad, Vice President, Attila Adamfi, General Director and Timea Horvath, Development and Education Manager.

Reported by Miguel Hernandez.