The sport of Olympic Weightlifting has a very rich history which encompasses the evolution of lifts which have their own interesting origins. This prestigious sport has been modernized to include two lifts – ‘Snatch’ and ‘Clean and Jerk’. The sum of total weight successfully lifted in both these events is the result for the particular athlete. The competitors are classified according to body weight.
Being over 127 years old after its first Olympic inclusion, it is surprising to learn that the path wasn’t safe from times of peril, which still looms over the weightlifting federation and the sport’s future. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had removed Weightlifting from the list of events at the 2028 Olympics, but this decision was revised some time after thoughtful consideration. The federation breathed a sigh of relief on hearing the IOC’s decision on including the sport for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but the troubles are far from being over for the sport.
However, this is not the first time that Weightlifting has been dropped. The sport has missed the Olympic spotlight in the years 1904, 1908 and 1912. Since then it has been consistently represented worldwide and has a growing participation and audience.
Reason behind dropping Olympic Weightlifting!
The reasons for the unfavourable decision of dropping Weightlifting this time around were the numerous athletes who were caught by the World Anti-Doping Agency, along with the IWF not meeting the standards through cases of corruption and certain reforms.
In the years 2022-2023, Indian weightlifting athletes were second only to athletics for doping violations. At a global scale, out of all the adverse lab findings, 15% of all positive samples were of weightlifters. Boldenone, an anabolic steroid was most prevalently found in all of the samples from weightlifters, the next most common test to be found positive was of the steroid profile in urine samples. Numerous medal prospects were involved in these violations which has negatively impacted the morale of all the dedicated athletes who have poured their efforts in the sport whilst maintaining a dope free status. The spirit of fair play has also been adversely affected, tarnishing the reputation of the sport.
Since then, the federation has taken numerous steps towards regaining a foothold on the global standards of sports. A new leadership for the refreshed IWF Executive Board has brought about some productive changes.
The voting was held in Mumbai in June 2023, which marked a turning point for the sport to be included in the 2028 Olympics. Reacting to the vote, President Jalood said: “My first thoughts today are for our global weightlifting community – and especially the athletes – for whom this news will be both a great relief and a cause for rejoicing.” He says he does not see this positive result as an end, and that he will dedicate his effort towards ensuring the continued development of the sport.
Immediately on his appointment, IWF President Mohammed Jalood has focused on proactive dialogue and action to guide weightlifting towards a bright future, meeting the criteria necessary for the sport to remain on the Olympic program.
In 2022, the International Testing Agency (ITA) organised a five-week webinar series for the IWF, focusing on key aspects of anti-doping. The series included five webinars in English, with simultaneous translations in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish. Participants who attended all five webinars received completion certificates.
IWF understood that it is not just the athletes who need to be educated and made aware of the ethics of the sport. For this reason, the IWF invited parents, guardians, and those working with young athletes to an expert panel discussion featuring Dr. Lubna Sibtain, whose daughter was Pakistan’s first female swimmer and youngest female Olympian, and Jodi Brown, a former international netball player and member of Drug Free Sport New Zealand’s Education Team. In the panel discussion, firsthand experiences were shared, and practical tips were exchanged for a clean sporting environment.
The redeeming effort from the IWF was the formulation of what they call a ‘Strategic Plan’ to pave the way for a bright future for Weightlifting. This plan has been divided into 4 ‘pillars’.
In the first pillar of their plan, the IWF highlighted that Athletes are at the core of their efforts. They have committed to make sure that the competition is fair for all athletes. Since 2019, the anti-doping activities are being conducted by the International Testing Agency, on behalf of IWF. Within the extensive field of the first pillar, initiatives include strengthening educational programs, implementing and enhancing a gender identity policy (already in place), creating mechanisms to prevent harassment in sports, developing an Athlete Transition program to support lifters at the end of their competitive careers, and establishing a prize money strategy for the IWF’s major events.
The second pillar of the strategic plan focuses on enhancing the IWF events. The IWF competitions focus on six key areas: Calendar Programming, Bidding and Hosting follow-up, Event Organisation, Innovative Events, Sports Presentation, and ITO procedures. Each area includes strategies for improvement.
Key initiatives include setting fixed event slots to avoid scheduling conflicts and boost marketing opportunities, enhancing the bidding process with more IWF support and athlete feedback, and implementing a Bidding Code of Ethics for transparency. A “Practices and Procedures” document will standardise host requirements, with strict monitoring and post-event evaluations.
Sports Presentation will be improved with better athlete introductions, effective use of scoreboards and ledwalls, well-planned venue aesthetics, and increased spectator engagement.
The third pillar of the 2024-2032 IWF Strategic Plan focuses on enhancing the IWF’s reputation and financial sustainability. This includes implementing strong governance, emphasising transparency, and enforcing sanctions for non-compliance. A proposed Financial Committee will oversee finances and risk management, ensuring regular accountability.
To boost revenue, the IWF plans to explore new marketing, sponsorship, and TV rights opportunities, alongside income from host fees and event-related activities.
The fourth pillar of the 2024-2032 IWF Strategic Plan aims to leverage opportunities within the IWF structure for better promotion, focusing on five main areas: Marketing and Sponsorship, Communication and Promotion, Broadcast Rights and Production, Exploring Digital Possibilities, and Fan Engagement.
The most notable efforts include enhancing communication to highlight successes across traditional and digital platforms, and launching campaigns on impactful topics like human rights, gender equity, climate change, and clean sport. Strengthening relationships with global media outlets will ensure wider reach of IWF content. Additionally, the IWF’s 120th and 125th anniversaries in 2025 and 2030 will serve as prime opportunities to showcase both its history and future initiatives.
Although the IOC has shown acceptance to Weightlifting, reinstating the inclusion in the Olympic Program, the IWF needs to maintain a good track record to ensure things move according to their Strategic Plan. The future of the sport hangs on a thread, and things can go either way depending on the conduct of the athletes and the organisation in the upcoming Paris Olympics and further international competitions.
