On June 4th, Professor Richard McLaren released his team’s report investigating allegations of financial corruption, election fraud, and doping cover ups at the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) highest levels. According to McLaren’s report, former IWF President Dr. Tamas Aján was involved in deep financial corruption (with over $10 million unaccounted for) as well as coordinated election fraud. However, allegations made against the Hungarian National Anti-Doping Agency (HUNADO) regarding false drug testing did NOT prove to be accurate.
(Read BarBend’s summary of McLaren’s report as well as the original text of his team’s report.)
In this episode, USA Weightlifting CEO Phil Andrews — who began serving in a temporary transition role with the IWF after McLaren’s investigation was underway — joins us to talk about McLaren’s findings and potential impact of the report. It’s worth clarifying two things: Though he’s acting in a temporary position with the IWF, Phil was not directly involved in the investigation and only had access to the report at the same time as media and the public. In this recording, Phil also requested we clarify he is speaking here as the CEO of USA Weightlifting, and his words don’t necessarily represent positions held by the IWF.
Note: BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting. Unless otherwise specified on certain content, the two organizations maintain editorial independence.
In this episode of the BarBend Podcast, David Thomas Tao talks to Phil Andrews about:
- Phil’s current dual role with both USA Weightlifting and the IWF (3:20)
- “Secret Doping: The Lord of the Lifters” (5:33)
- Who is Richard McLaren? (7:45)
- The size and scope of McLaren’s investigation (12:16)
- Where McLaren’s investigation and “The Lord of the Lifters” disagreed (16:30)
- The allegation that the McLaren Report found to NOT be true (17:17)
- Untangling the IWF’s complex finances and allegations of financial corruption (18:00)
- What are some near-term steps and followups from the investigation? (26:00)
- Allegations of election fraud at the IWF (27:20)
- Will a new Executive Board be elected? (30:48)
- Rebuilding trust among member federations (34:00)
- The future of doping testing and doping control in weightlifting (37:00)
- New Olympic qualifying procedures for weightlifting and the Tokyo Olympics (44:50)
Relevant links and further reading:
