USA Weightlifting Demands IWF Action on Reforms

Following yesterday's outrageous actions by the IWF Executive Board, USA Weightlifting sent the following letter to the International Weightlifting Federation’s 187 Member Federations asking them to join our demand that the IWF leadership convene an Extraordinary Congress by the end of November to address reforms in the areas of anti-doping, governance and Athlete representation. The letter is below.

Our letter to Member Federations:

Dear Colleagues, Presidents, General Secretaries,

Over the last 72 hours you have seen the International Olympic Committee (IOC) react to the actions of the current IWF Executive Board in a manner rarely seen so strongly, it is absolutely without question that our place in Paris 2024, Los Angeles 2028 and beyond is now at issue.

We must take strong action, and immediately, to have any hope to persuade the IOC that our sport, its’ member federations, its’ athletes, its’ coaches and its’ administrators truly want to see a modernized, reformed, clean, IWF with the assistance of those who have relevant expertise to assist our sport in arriving at that outcome.

In order to take immediate and emergency action, I hereby invite you to join me and the USA in signing a letter invoking our right as members to insist on a Congress where we as a sport might democratically, calmly and deliberately work together as a whole sport towards real, true and lasting reform.

I hope that I am not alone in hoping that there is enough nations out there who wish to see us remain an Olympic sport, who wish to see a well-run, effective, clean, reformed IWF and who will continue, or join, the fight for clean athletes to be able to fulfil their own Olympic dreams in years to come.

Please sign via docusign, a total of 20% of nation members are required for a congress to be required.

Yours,

Phil Andrews

USA Weightlifting

Our Letter to IWF Leadership that we’re asking Member Federations to sign-on to, demanding an Extraordinary Congress

Dear Interim President,

Dear General Secretary,

Dear International Weightlifting Federation Executive Board,

We, the undersigned Member Federations of the International Weightlifting Federation hereby invoke clause 4.1.14 of the IWF Constitution requiring the International Weightlifting Federation to convene an Extraordinary Congress.

We demand that Congress be called, per the constitution, as soon as is possible, no later than 90 days from the date of the 38th signatory of this document. The United States of America will offer to host the Congress in Colorado Springs, Colorado. However, we alternatively ask the IWF to use Ordinance 3 of the Swiss Government’s measures to respond to the Coronavirus to allow for an electronic congress, in this manner allowing the maximal attendance at the Congress. We ask this Congress be convened before the end of November 2020, in order that it precede the next expected meeting of the IOC Executive Board Meeting.

At that Congress, the undersigned demand that the election by the Congress of a new President, or endorsement of a President presented by the Executive Board, of the International Weightlifting Federation be placed upon the agenda, who may Preside over the IWF at the pleasure of said Congress until the next ordinary Electoral Congress.

At the same Congress, the undersigned demand that the formation and approval of the Congress of an Independent Reform and Governance Commission, to include elite athlete representation from outside of our sport and made up of experienced individuals in this area, charged with the constitutional reform of the Federation be placed upon the agenda.

At the same Congress, the undersigned demand that the formation and approval of a Disciplinary and Ethics Commission made up of independent individuals experienced in this area be included on the agenda.

We also assume that the IWF Athletes Commission, in full, will be invited to the Congress to give their views.

Signed:

Phil Andrews

General Secretary

USA Weightlifting

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