IWF120y/35 – 1969: European Federation sees the day in Warsaw (POL)

The first decades in the life of the International Weightlifting Federation were essentially dominated by the influence of European countries: nations from the Old Continent founded the IWF and the first 25 editions of the recognised World Championships were all staged in Europe. The city of Philadelphia, in the United States, was the first one to “break” this hegemony, in 1947. Despite this dominance, most European activities were done within the frame of the International Federation – Pan-Americas and Asia took their “independence” earlier, having found their continental bodies in 1951 and 1958, respectively. But, some months before the organisation of the World Championships in Warsaw (POL) in 1969 – the global showcase was also “integrating” the European Championships – a letter signed by nine European federations had been sent to all members in the Old Continent urging for the necessity to create a continental body. In September – when the event was staged in the Polish capital – those “seeds” had grown and delegates from 19 European nations unanimously approved the creation of the European Weightlifting Federation (EWF). The first president of the organisation was Janusz Przedpelski (POL), who remained at the helm of the EWF until 1983. Five years later, in 1988, the initial Women’s European showcase took place in San Marino, and in 1990 the continental body decided to “separate” the European Championships from other events, thus making it the annual highlight of a complete European calendar of competitions. The EWF presently has 46 national members (plus four additional associate federations, whose territories have no National Olympic Committee).