IWF announces first athlete elections

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has asked its member federations to submit nominations for the forthcoming Athletes Commission elections. The elections, a key step in implementing the governance reform adopted earlier this year, will take place during the IWF World Weightlifting Championships between 7 and 16 December in Tashkent.

Following the elections, the IWF will break new ground in athlete representation by having three athletes on the IWF Executive Board and also having three athletes as full voting members of the IWF Congress.

“Thanks to the steps we have taken to adopt a new constitution and implement it, the IWF can say with certainty that athletes will be given a strong voice within IWF decision making and that there will be important new faces on the IWF Executive Board,” said IWF Interim President Dr. Michael Irani.

“I am deeply proud of the way we have been able to fully deliver on the expectations that the IWF would renew its governance, ensure clean weightlifting competition at the Tokyo 2020 and demonstrate a very different culture by having new faces on the Executive Board. I firmly believe that with these actions, the IWF will have secured weightlifting’s Olympic future.”  

Candidates for election to the IWF Athletes Commission will be subject to the same strict eligibility criteria and verification procedures currently underway for the nominees submitted for election to the IWF Presidency, the IWF Vice Presidency and IWF Executive Board membership.

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