PAWF stages ‘Good Governance Seminar’ before the competition starts in Lima (PER)

Before the start of the 2025 IWF World Youth and Junior Championships, taking place in Lima (PER) from April 30 to May 5, the Pan-American Weightlifting Federation (PAWF) hosted today a “Good Governance Seminar”, with three main topics on the agenda: Good Practices, Female Leadership and Clean Sport. Invited to the occasion, the IWF President Mohammed Jalood addressed an inspirational welcome speech to the participants in the initiative.

“This is not only a valuable, but also a very necessary meeting. There are many interesting and pertinent items under the general topic of ‘Good Governance’ and Mr José Quiñones, President of the PAWF, had this excellent idea of gathering several experts in some of the matters that are very cherished by the IWF!” considered Mr Jalood.

“In recent years, we have undertaken many structural and important reforms in our organisation. Many of the changes relate precisely with all aspects relating to good governance: athlete representation, gender equality, transparency, and of course anti-doping programmes. Having such distinguished guests here today is a proof of our commitment to continue working hard on this matter,” also underlined the IWF President.

To brief the attendees on Good Practices, Keith Joseph, President of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees, and Brett Clothier, President of the World Athletics Integrity Unit, gave respectively a theoretical approach of what good governance principles relate to, and illustrated the implementation of those principles with some case studies in the Sport of Athletics.

Mohammed Jalood (IWF President) and José Quiñones (PAWF President)

To speak about Female Leadership, two successful women gave their insight on what their organisations have done in this so important field: Damaris Young, President of the National Olympic Committee of Panama and IOC Member, and Ximena Restrepo, Colombia’s first Olympic gold medallist and World Athletics First Vice-President.

Keith Joseph (President of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees)

Finally, the third block (Clean Sport) was animated by Federico Perroni (WADA’s Regional Office of Latin America and Caribbean), Sasha Sutherland (Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organisation Executive Director), Gustavo Bataglia and Guillermo Martinez (both International Testing Agency experts), Melody Exhenry (IWF Anti-Doping Manager) and Victor Carpio (NADO Peru Executive Secretary).

On this topic, the usual “IWF/ITA Clean Sport Seminar” will take place this Thursday, May 2 (at 10h00), in Lima. All participating delegations present in the Peruvian capital are invited to attend the meeting.

Melody Exhenry (IWF Anti-Doping Manager) speaking on IWF anti-doping programmes

At the end of the Good Governance Seminar, Antonio Urso, IWF General Secretary, expressed his satisfaction for a “very positive exchange of ideas, in a field in which we need to constantly work and remain vigilant”.

IWF Communications