Paris 2024 Olympics: Weightlifting’s place under threat -IOC warns

By George Aluo

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has warned that weightlifting may not be part of the PARIS 2024 Olympics.

Bach issued the warning after raising “strong concerns” over the governance of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) during a virtual press conference following an IOC Executive Board meeting. 

The Executive Board discussed the IWF as part of its ongoing monitoring process, looking at the areas of anti-doping and governance in particular. 

“With regard to governance, we have strong concerns,” Bach said. 

“We have strong concerns about the lack of progress, with regards to the reforms of the IWF Constitution, and about the lack of acceptance of independent advice in this procedure.

“Another point of concern with regards to governance was the representation of athletes within the Federation, which definitely needs to be strengthened.

“We will communicate these concerns to the IWF and we will advise them at the same time that we are currently reviewing the event programme and the quota places for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

“We will also advise them that we reserve the right, if need be, to take further measures, which are including but not limited to a review of the place of weightlifting on the programme of Paris 2024.”

Ursula Papandrea has been IWF’s Interim President since January, when Tamás Aján stepped aside after revelations of widespread corruption during his 44-year reign as general secretary and head of the IWF.

Aján, who later resigned, was responsible for financial mismanagement, doping cover-ups and rigged elections, claimed the Canadian professor of law Richard McLaren, who led an independent investigation into the IWF.