In a letter published on the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) website, Dr. Tamas Ajan, IWF President, directly addressed the recent changes to the 2020 Olympics announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) last month. Ajan, who was just re-elected in May, shared his views on gender equality, the reduction of weightlifting quotas and dispelled the rumor that the IOC’s decisions were a result of the recent IWF elections.
On the IOC’s method of reaching gender quality, Ajan commented, “Gender equality was reached by losing a Men event instead of receiving a Women one. The Olympic programme was harmonized for all the other sports having bodyweight categories.”
Ajan continued with his thoughts on the quota reduction, “The reduction in the number of athlete quota was surprisingly high, but WE WEIGHTLIFTING as a member of the Olympic Family – besides the other 6 sports losing quota – have to bear the reallocation to make space for the new disciplines and mixed events to come in.”
The letter then goes into the process that the IOC takes in determining changes to its program as well as what the IWF must do to protect the sport of Olympic Weightlifting.
Ajan calls on all stakeholders, “It is important to underline that without the cooperation and participation of all stakeholders – NOCs, MFs, athletes, Laboratories, NADOs etc. – in the fight on doping the IWF’s measures and actions, however severe, cannot be successful, either.”
