The International Weightlifting Committee (IWF) has gone through a series of leadership changes over the past few months. These changes come amidst concerns of corruption and, as a result, the sport of weightlifting‘s place at the future Olympic Games.
Following the McLaren Report‘s uncovering of deep financial corruption and election fixing by former IWF President Dr. Tamas Aján, Ursula Papandrea, then Vice President of the IWF, was appointed acting President.
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[Related: Phil Andrews: What’s Needed For International Weightlifting Reform]
Recently, she was ousted during a meeting of the IWF Executive’s board without her presence and replaced by Intarat Yodbangtoey of Thailand. Intarat stepped down less than a week later. The position was assumed by Chairman of the IWF Medical Committee and Executive Board Member Dr. Michael Irani.
As part of the IWF’s effort to establish the needed governance reform in the eyes of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the athletes across the sport as a whole, the IWF announced the five members that will make up the Independent Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (IDEC).
According to the announcement, the members and credentials of the IDEC are as follows:
Chair: Dr. Despina Mavromati — Greece and Switzerland
- Attorney-at-law and arbitrator (Greece and Switzerland).
- UEFA Appeals Body Member and former Managing Counsel at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Vice Chair: Andrew Minogue — Australia
- CEO of Pacific Games Council.
Secretary: Professor Dr. Moni Wekesa — Kenya
- Member of the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal.
Member: Yoshihiro Takatori — Japan
- International Arbitrator (F.C.I.Arb.), Mediator, Attorney-at-law (Japan and New York).
- Executive Director of Japan Association of Arbitrators, Co-Convener of C.I.Arb., Japan Chapter.
Member: Beatriz Merino — Peru
- First female Prime Minister of Peru and Latin America.
- Former Senator and Congresswoman, Head of Peru IRS & Customs, National Ombudsman.
Per the IWF’s announcement, “The Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary were selected by the Commission members themselves.” A final version of the terms of reference and working procedures for the commission has not yet been completed. IWF President Irani said:
“The IWF Disciplinary and Ethics Commission has a critical role to play in ensuring that the IWF upholds the highest ethical standards and that any misconduct is thoroughly investigated.”
Featured image:@iwfnet on Instagram
