Weightlifting: IWF suspends election over legal issues

A meeting of the IWF Executive Board over the weekend considered the written legal opinion sent by the independent IWF Legal Commission which made it clear the proper legal foundations for the planned IWF Elections had not yet been fully complied.
Due to this reason the IWF Executive Board decided, that the Electoral Congress, scheduled for 20-21 December, will not therefore see voting take place on those days. However, the IWF wishes to move forward by holding a General Congress with all other points on the original agenda on 20-21 December 2021. Therefore, preparations will move forward with the same conditions as it was communicated by the IWF before.

One of the reasons for this decision was the IWF Legal Commission found that the composition of the IWF’s independent Ethics and Disciplinary Commission had not yet been ratified by the IWF Congress. Consequently, the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission could not properly constitute the Eligibility and Determination Panel required to vet candidates for the election, in the opinion of the IWF Legal Commission.

“The IWF is fully committed to good governance and that’s why we adopted a new constitution with near unanimity. It is important that we implement this new governance carefully and in a way that will withstand legal challenge. That’s exactly what we are determined to do,” said IWF Interim President Dr Michael Irani.