IWF Congress approves in Manama (BRN) amendments to the IWF Constitution

The IWF Congress, gathering representatives of 135 National Member Federations approved today in Manama (BRN), several amendments to the IWF Constitution, thus leading also to the validation of the IWF By-Laws, approved by the IWF Executive Board last November 25. Both documents will enter into effect from tomorrow, December 5, 2024.

In his welcome speech, the IWF President Mohammed Jalood expressed his gratitude to the Bahrain authorities for their hospitality and the excellent preparation for the 2024 IWF World Championships, from December 5-15. “We will experience a great time here in Manama and the entire IWF family feels at home in Bahrain. I am sure that exciting performances will be produced here, namely many new World Records,” declared Mr Jalood. “This Congress is held in a time of great unity within our International Federation and this is leading to enormous progress. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games were a great success – moreover, we are happy to report that we didn’t have any positive doping tests! – and these achievements greatly help our Sport to secure its presence in the Olympic programme,” concluded the IWF President.

IWF President Mohammed Jalood

With delegates of 93 national bodies present in person in the capital of Bahrain and another 42 connecting with the assembly online, the new IWF Constitution was approved with 134 votes in favour and only one vote against.

The changes voted by the delegates do not alter the document’s substance, whose last update was made in September 2023. They are essentially aimed at providing a simpler language, to remove redundant provisions and details not belonging to a constitutional text. Four new modifications were however made: 1. Conditions for IWF Membership (Article 6); 2. Time limit for payment of outstanding amounts by MFs (Article 11); 3. Composition of the Executive Board (Article 16); 4. Two changes in the eligibility criteria (Article 25).

On the side of the IWF By-Laws, they now incorporate large sections of the former Constitution, namely related to operational and technical provisions in the ‘Schedules’ sections.

After this important vote, the Congress proceeded with the presentation of the various IWF Committees and Commissions reports (who had already made successful presentations to the IWF Executive Board on December 3).

IWF Athletes Commission Chair Forrester Osei

IWF commercial partners (Eleiko, ZKC, Uekasa, and SBD) were next on the programme, and the presentations’ time came to an end with the update of the IWF upcoming competitions, namely the 2025 World Junior and Youth World Championships in Lima (PER), and the 2025, 2026 and 2027 IWF World Championships, respectively in Forde (NOR), Ningbo (CHN) and Yerevan (ARM).

The IWF Congress concluded with the grant of IWF awards for their contribution to weightlifting to: Michel Raynaud (FRA, Merit Certificate), Waldemar Gospodarek (POL, Gold Collar), Taisto Kuppola (FIN, Gold Collar), Stian Grimseth (NOR, Gold Collar), Karl Rimböck (GER, IWF Wall of Fame induction) and David Montero (BRA, IWF Hall of Fame induction).

After intense days of meetings, the IWF family will gather this Thursday for the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 IWF World Championships in Manama, and on Friday for the first day of the competition.

IWF Communications

Photos by Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia

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