Unless constitutional reforms are done from within the organization, weightlifting faces the possibility of being deleted from the calendar of events in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The possibility of this happening increased as members of the International Olympic Committee approved a proposal to grant the Executive Board the power to suspend sports from the Olympic program without approval from the session.
The body was granted the power remove any sport from the program of the Olympic Games if the International Federation does not comply with the decisions of the IOC Executive Board.
The International Weightlifting Federation was among the IFs that have been warned by the IOC after it reportedly failed to follow several clear directions from the Executive Board to improve its doping culture and repair its governance.
Because of this, weightlifting now faces the prospect of being removed from the Olympic Games program.
And if charter changes are not done, the sport could be suspended from Paris 2024 and allowed to return at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, under a new leadership.
“Kailangan naming sumunod sa gusto ng IOC. Kapag hindi nasunod, gaya ng boxing, mabubura kami (sa Paris). Kung matuloy man sa Paris, IOC will run. But, I’m just optimistic about this,” said Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella.
The IWF is currently following the path of the International Boxing Association’s Olympic recognition which was suspended by the IOC in June 2019.
AIBA’s suspension came after the IOC Session agreed to a proposal from the Executive Board to strip the organization of any involvement in the boxing tournament at Tokyo 2020 because of concerns over its governance, finances and refereeing and judging.
Puentevella said that doping violations in the past were a cause of concern for the IOC.
There were also allegations of corruption that reportedly took place from within the IWF leadership of Tamas Ajan before he stepped down last year.
The SWP chief cited the time when Thailand was not allowed to send lifters during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games because of this, while Romania and China also had doping issues.
“As for China, mabuti at nakabalik na sila,” added Puentevella.
To help weightlifting remain in the Olympic calendar, Puentevella will be attending the IWF Constitutional Reform Congress on August 29 and 30 in Doha, Qatar.
The last time the IWF Board met, there were no further changes to a proposed new Constitution, which was drafted on August 3.
