The IWF will organise the 1st ever World Championships for the Youth (aged 13-17 years) in 2009. According to the decision of the IWF Executive Board, the 1st Youth World Championships will take place in ChiangMai, Thailand, 19-24 May 2009.
The competition venue and the hotel will be the same as for the 2007 Royal World Championships.

The Youth World Championships will at the same time serve as the main Qualification Event for the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games.

The IWF's official magazine "World Weightlifting" has launched its voting for the Best Lifters of 2008. For the first time, you can vote online using the link: Best Lifter Voting

His Excellency, Marcus Stephen, former World Championship silver medallist, President of the Republic of Nauru, OWF President and IWF Executive Board Member recently addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations on issues of environmental protection.

The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the sports competitions programme for the 1^st Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) to be held in Singapore in 2010, as well as the qualification system for each event.
Some 3,594 athletes will compete in Singapore in 26 sports comprising 201 events. The number of sports in the programme is identical to the London 2012 programme. Each event has its own age group competing, either 15-16 (27 events), 16-17 (111 events) or 17-18 (63 events).
The events differ significantly in order to match the age groups and interests of the young athletes. Basketball will for example be played according to the FIBA 33 formula, with teams of three playing against each other on one half-court. The most important particularity of the YOG is however the numerous mixed–gender or National Olympic Committees (NOCs) – team events in archery, athletics (medley relay), cycling (combined BMX-mountain bike-road event), equestrian, fencing, judo, modern pentathlon (relay), swimming (relay), table tennis, tennis and triathlon (relay).
The participation of all 205 NOCs is the key factor in ensuring the universality of the YOG. In each individual sport, a specific number of places for NOCs (referred to as “Universality Places”) will be reserved to ensure that at least four athletes per NOC have the possibility to participate in the YOG.
The qualification system for each sport and discipline, which was prepared in close collaboration with each International Federation (IF), strives to guarantee participation of the best athletes in their age category and to respect the principle of universality by allowing NOCs to benefit from the “Universality Places”.
For all disciplines, competitions such as Junior or Youth World Championships, Continental Championships or official junior ranking lists will allow athletes to attempt to qualify for the YOG.
In addition, and irrespective of the number of athletes qualified, an NOC delegation may include no more than 70 athletes in individual sports.
Besides the sports competitions programme, the YOG will feature an extensive Cultural and Educational Programme (CEP), which aims to introduce, in a fun and festive spirit, the young athletes to Olympism and the Olympic values, and to raise awareness on important issues such as the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, the fight against doping and their role as sports ambassadors in their communities. As a result of close collaboration between the IOC and the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC), an innovative and attractive CEP has been developed, with SYOGOC looking to finalise it shortly and start implementation at the beginning of next year.
The Executive Board was also updated by IOC Coordination Commission Chairman Sergey Bubka on the general progress of preparations by SYOGOC for the YOG, which are on time and moving ahead steadily.

Dr. Tamás Aján, IWF President met Mr. Paul Coffa, General Secretary of the Oceania and Commonwealth Weightlifting Federations at his office in Budapest.
In recent weeks the President welcomed several visitors at the IWF headquarters: among them Maj.Gen. Intarat Yodbangtoey and Mr. Dragomir Cioroslan, IWF Vice Presidents; Sheikh Sultan Bin Mejren, Asian Weightlifting Federation President and IWF Executive Board Member; Mr. Gamil Hanna, IWF Executive Board Member and Dr. Edmon Takla, WFA General Secretary; Mr. Khaled Mehalhal, Libyan Wl. Federation President; Mr. Lennart Blomberg, CEO, Mr. Johan Erling, Senior Advisor and Mr. Andrén Andreas, Export Sales Manager of ELEIKO.

A very high standard of weightlifting performance throughout all categories and impressive turnouts characterized the 1st  World University Championships held in Komotini, Greece, 25-28 November 2008.
Exceeding all previous figures in the IWF University World Cups, at this first official FISU-controlled World Championships 56 female students participated from 23 countries, whereas 103 men took part representing 29 nations.
The competitions were held with a strong professional-technical involvement of the Greek Weightlifting Federation and the IWF at the Dimokritos University of Thrace.
Both FISU Executive Board members and IWF delegates present were deeply impressed and happy about the success of the inaugural Championships, which celebrated medal-winners in addition to the leading nations China, Chinese Taipei, Poland or Thailand, from countries like Serbia, USA, Japan, Israel, Azerbaijan, Moldova, USA, Greece, Canada or Hungary.

Satisfied with the great success of the 1st FISU World University Weightlifting Championships just running in Greece, the International University Sport Federation (FISU) wishes to allocate the 2nd edition to be held in 2010.
Prospective organisers, i.e. National University Sports Federations affiliated to FISU may send their application to the FISU headquarters: championships@fisu.net

A new addition to the IWF Calendar 2009! - With a view to the 1st Youth Olympic Games to be hosted by Singapore in 2010, a Youth World Championships will be held for the IWF youth age group (up to 17 years) sometime in May 2009, as the main Qualification event for the Games.
Details of the YOG Qualification System are yet to be discussed and approved by the IOC, and conditions for the Youth World Championships will be finalized after the International Olympic Committee's approval.
National Federations with an intention to host the 2009 Youth World Championships should contact the IWF.

Thirty-seven nations are represented in the Start List of the 1st official World University Championships under the auspices of FISU, an event just kicked off in Komotini, a University city in North-East of Greece.
All categories among men and women are impressively fielded by representatives from university sports organisations all over the world, from Pan-America to Australia.
At the competition venue of the Democritus University of Thrace, student-weightlifters can enjoy Olympic-level competition conditions not in the least thanks to the professional staff and expert technical support of the Hellenic Weightlifting Federation, lead by new President Pyrros Dimas.
The 15 bodyweight categories will be contested through four days, ending on 28 November 2008.
The umbrella organisation, the FISU is represented at the highest level, by Executive Committee member Sinisa Jasnic. FISU Chair CT for Weightlifting, Anikó Németh-Móra is supervising the competitions together with IWF Delegate Attila Ádámfi.

Results are published day-by-day on this website.

Look for pictures in the Gallery 

Young Iranian giant, Saied Alihosseini upset all previous Junior World Records in the +105kg category at the Asian Inter-Club Championships in Goyang City, Korea. Alihosseini changed the under-20 Snatch world record to 205kg, the Clean and Jerk Junior World Record to 241kg and thus the Total to 446kg in the Junior part of the Championships. Three days later he participated among the seniors and further improved the Clean and Jerk mark to 242kg.

Since one of the two buildings of the new Oceania Institute will not be completed in time for the Opening Ceremony, the local Organising Committee and the IWF decided to postpone the World Cup from January to 3-7 May 2009. The IWF World Cup in Noumea, New Caledonia's capital will be held in combination with the 1st Francophone International Tournament.

The Asian Weightlifting Federation was founded 50 years ago. In Goyang City, Korea, AWF leaders and members celebrated the Federation's Anniversary.

World Weightlifting's Special Olympic Issue has appeared! In the 2008/3 edition readers can find a full report on the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

IWF Technical Delegate Attila Ádámfi reported on the success of the Commonwealth Youth Games, which were held in Pune, India.

Look for Results here

The IWF will hold its next Electoral Congress in Madrid, Spain, on 31 March and 1 April 2009. As every four years following the Olympic Games, the Congress will elect the Executive Board and Committees and approve the modifications to the Constitution, Technical Rules, Anti-Doping Policy of the IWF.
Preliminary schedule: 30 March 2009 - arrivals; 31 March and 1 April 2009 - Congress sessions; 2 April 2009 - new bodies sit down for first meeting; 3 April 2009 - departures.
Official invitations, candidature forms, reports, Draft Constitution and Rules will be sent to the National Federations soon.

Hungarian journalist, a specialist of weightlifting for almost 60 years, Jenő Boskovics celebrated his 80th birthday on 9th October. Former Spokesman of the IWF, founder and Secretary of the AIPS Weightlifting Commission, Jenő Boskovics has been Editor-in-Chief of the World Weightlifting magazine since its first publication 28 years ago.
Jenő was greeted by his longtime friend the IWF President and the members of the IWF Secretariat, who conveyed him the good wishes and congratulations of the thousands of people who know and like him worldwide.
Happy Birthday and many happy returns, Jenő!

          Jenő trying to "write" an article on his new typewriter - made of chocolate!

A Working Group met at the IWF Secretariat in Budapest for three days to elaborate the Draft of the 2009-2012 edition of the IWF's Constitution, Technical & Competition Rules. The Group included Dr. Tamás Aján, IWF President, Sam Coffa, IWF 1st Vice President, Anikó Németh-Móra, IWF Director, Attila Ádámfi, IWF Competition Director and other members of the Secretariat.
As has been tradition in the Federation, a complete Draft of the IWF Handbook will be prepared, incorporating the modifications proposed and discussed in the last three years, and sent to the National Federations several months prior to the Electoral Congress for study before approval.
Delegates will vote to approve the new Constitution and Rules on 3-4 April 2009 in Madrid, at the next Electoral Congress of the IWF.

To the Presidents of the IWF Affiliated
National Weightlifting Federations

Dear Presidents, Dear Ladies and Gentlemen and Colleagues,

Following the wonderful and very successful Beijing Olympic Games we have to look at the future and therefore I would like to inform you of the following three important things:

1. As we have previously informed you in 2009 the IWF will hold its Electoral Congress. Therefore I would like to kindly ask you to consider your candidates for the IWF official functions. The detailed information (forms, application, etc.) regarding the Congress will be sent to you in October 2008. Please make sure that you comply with the application deadlines!
   
   
2. The IWF Constitution & Rules modification Congress will take place at the same time as the Electoral Congress in Madrid, Spain at the end of March beginning of April 2009. The exact date and details will be sent in October 2008 and I kindly ask you to ensure your participation on this important event.
   
   
3. With regard to the new Olympic cycle, please note that the 2009, 2010 and 2011 World Senior Weightlifting Championships will all be Qualification Events to the 2012 Olympic Games.
   
   
4. You may order the refereelicence stamp(s) for 2009-2012 for their international referees from the IWF Secretariat
   Referee Licence Cat. 1 - US$200
   Referee Licence Cat. 2 - US$100
   Any new referee card (whether Cat. 2 or Cat. 1) costs US$200 - including the licence.

I hope to see you in Madrid next year!

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Tamás Aján
IWF President
IOC Member

Commemorating the 20^th Anniversary of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, celebrations were held in the Korean capital. Among all Olympic cities Seoul is the one most treasuring the Olympic traditions. The benefits and the legacy of the 1988 Games have reached into the present.
The 20^th Anniversary was celebrated with a scientific Symposium where, besides memories from Seoul 1988, the spell of the latest Olympics in Beijing was still lingering among the participants. The exceptional success of the Olympic weightlifting competitions in China was a frequent subject of conversations.
Fifty-five lecturers were invited, among them Dr. Tamás Aján, President of the IWF. The opening address was held by Mr. Seh-Jik Park, then President of the SOCOG.
Dr. Aján also met the hosts of the 2009 World Championships in Goyang City . The Korean hosts are determined to stage the best and most successful Championships in history. Following ChiangMai this is no minor challenge but the Koreans are facing it confidently. Goyang City is developing dynamically; its Mayor Mr. Hyun-Suk Kang, a most vigorous person, keeps everyone on the alert. His partner in the organisation is Mr. Sung-Yong Choi, KWF Vice President and President of the OC.
The venue, the KINTEX center is one of the world's best multifunctional facilities. The IWF President deems the competition and training venue is expected to be of higher standard than ever before, matching even Olympic requirements.
Accommodation will be provided in a 5 star hotel on the outskirts of Seoul, half-an-hour to the competition venue. Meals will not be a problem, given that dishes from Western, Asian and Arabic kitchen will all be available.
In the year prior to the Olympic Qualification World Championships (November 2009), the IWF is planning to make four technical visits to Goyang City aspiring to the rank of Host of Best WC in History.

A recent inspection visit by FISU Technical Chair for Weightlifting, Mrs. Anikó Németh-Móra, in the company of representatives of the Greek Weightlifting Federation at the site of the 2008 World University Championships finalized all outstanding issues of this first-ever event held fully under the umbrella of FISU.
The final touches were added to the Technical Regulation of the WUWC 2008 of Komotini, whereas entries are already arriving at the IWF and at the Organising Committee.
Professional input from the Greek Weightlifting Federation, by a staff headed by no-one lesser than Mr. George Iliou, Competition Manager of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, will be added to the organisation of the Championships at the Democritus University of Komotini, which is to be found in the North-Eastern part of Greece.

On her way to Komotini, Mrs. Németh stopped in Athens where she was met by Mr. Stavros Douvis, General Secretary of Sport and was also received by Mr. Ioannis Ioannidis, Minister for Sport, both assuring the Federations of their full support.

Nominations for Technical Officials are still accepted by the IWF, before 5 October 2008.

Send your Entries to the World University Championships, downloading Forms from its website http://wuwl2008.duth.gr