On Jan. 14, 2021, the former Vice President and Acting President of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Ursula Papandrea announced her bid for the IWF Presidency. According to a release from ... Continue Reading
BarBend and USA Weightlifting Renew Official Media Partnership Through 2024
On Jan. 3, 2021, BarBend and USA Weightlifting renewed their first-of-its-kind media partnership through 2024. Founded in 2016, BarBend is the web's premier media company for strength sports news, ... Continue Reading
Report: Russian Weightlifter Tatiana Kashirina Suspended After Doping Suspicion
Five-time world champion weightlifter Tatiana Kashirina has been temporarily suspended due to an alleged doping offense, according to Inside the Games and as originally reported by Russian outlet TASS. If ... Continue Reading
British Weight Lifting CEO to IWF Executive Board — “Step Down”
On Dec. 7, 2020, The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced changes to the athlete quota for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The number of athletes will be reduced from the 11,092 allotted to the ... Continue Reading
Weightlifting Loses 76 Spots In New Athlete Quota For 2024 Paris Olympic Games
On Dec. 7, 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board approved the event program for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Additionally, they adjusted the athlete quota for the entire Olympic ... Continue Reading
David Prowse, Star Wars’ Darth Vader and Champion Weightlifter, Dies At 85
David Prowse, the British actor who became famous for playing the role of Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy of the 1970s and 80s, died on November 28, 2020 at the age of 85. The New York ... Continue Reading
USA Weightlifting 2020 National Championships Will Be Virtual
It has been a rollercoaster year for Olympic weightlifting competitions. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced varying closures and restrictions on large gatherings in numerous states. As a result, many ... Continue Reading
Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Bill Passed, Controversy Ensues
On Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, the United States Senate unanimously passed the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act (RADA) — named after Grigory Rodchenkov, the whistleblower in Russia's state-sponsored doping at the ... Continue Reading
USA Weightlifter Karyn Marshall on Winning the First Women’s World Championship
Dr. Karyn Marshall began her weightlifting career in the 1970’s with little to no fanfare. At the time, there were no national women’s weightlifting events, and women’s weightlifting was not yet recognized ... Continue Reading
Members of the IWF Independent Disciplinary And Ethics Commission Announced
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 ... Continue Reading
How Does Your Limb Length Impact Your Lifts?
Lifting well is about a lot of things: the resilience of your mind, the strength and coordination of your muscles, and physics. If you’ve ever wondered why your bar path can make a difference between a ... Continue Reading
Phil Andrews: What’s Needed for International Weightlifting Reform
It's been a tumultuous year for the sport of weightlifting. In January, in the midst of an investigation into alleged corruption, longtime International Weightlifting Federation President Dr. Tamas Ajan ... Continue Reading
Shi Zhiyong Beats His Own World Record with 199 Kilogram Clean & Jerk
Shi Zhiyong is an absolute record-setting machine. The -73-kilogram weightlifter exceeded his own clean & jerk world record by one kilogram with a 199-kilogram lift. However, the clean & jerk was ... Continue Reading
Rachel Leblanc-Bazinet, Other International Weightlifters Announce Public Call for IWF Reform
In recent weeks, the weightlifting world has been rocked by allegations of corruption stemming from the IWF's vote to replace Interim President Ursula Papandrea. Papandrea led the IWF after Dr. Tamas ... Continue Reading
Dr. Michael Irani Named Interim President of the IWF
The International Weightlifting Federation has changed leadership — again. Two days after former Interim President Ursula Garza Papandrea was ousted from her role, her replacement Intarat Yodbangtoey ... Continue Reading
Weightlifter Sarah Davies Starts Petition Against IWF Executive Board
On October 14th, Chair of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Athlete Commission Sarah Davies started a petition to "help push for a vote of no confidence of the IWF Executive Board" in ... Continue Reading
USA Weightlifting and IOC Release Statements Condemning IWF Shakeup
Both USA weightlifting and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have reacted to the news that Ursula Garza Papandrea has been removed as Interim President of the International Weightlifting Federation ... Continue Reading
In Leadership Controversy, IWF Votes to Replace Interim President Ursula Papandrea
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Executive Board held a vote in an emergency virtual meeting called by Nicu Vlad of Romania where they decided to remove Ursula Papandrea of the United ... Continue Reading
Weightlifting Coach Jim Rutter On New Book, “The Sport Is Steroids”
In September 2020, weightlifting coach, journalist, and author Jim Rutter self-published a book he hoped would ignite conversation in the lifting community both in the United States and abroad. Titled The ... Continue Reading
6 Russian Athletes Found in Violation of IWF’s Anti-Doping Policy
On Oct. 8, 2020, the International Weightlifting Federation announced they were imposing sanctions on six Russian athletes who have been found guilty of anti-doping violations between the years 2011 and ... Continue Reading
CJ Cummings Hits Massive 195-Kilogram/429-Pound Clean & Jerk Personal Record
Olympic weightlifter CJ Cummings is closing in on the clean & jerk world record. The 20-year-old, who competes in the -73 kilogram weight class, is a four-time Junior World Weightlifting ... Continue Reading
IWF and World Para Powerlifting Sign “Strengthening the World” Agreement
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and World Para Powerlifting Organization (WPPO) announced on Oct. 1, 2020, that the two groups signed a Memorandum of Understanding (or MoU). By doing ... Continue Reading
Lasha Talakhadze Snatches 222kg/489lbs, Heaviest Snatch Ever Filmed
At a national competition the weekend of September 18th, Georgian superheavyweight weightlifter Lasha Talakhadze completed a series of four snatches that culminated in a 222kg lift — the heaviest snatch ... Continue Reading
Harrison Maurus on Olympic Postponement and Weightlifting Goals
Harrison Maurus may be young, but he's a veteran on the international weightlifting stage. He won bronze in the clean & jerk at the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships at just 17 years old, which ... Continue Reading