Russian weightlifters will not take part in the qualifying programme for next year’s Olympic Games in Paris, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has announced.
A group of 13 athletes with Belarus passports have been cleared but nobody from Russia had sent in documents, including a signed undertaking, by the IWF’s deadline on Monday (May 15).
The IWF’s Executive Board met before releasing the list of Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) who are eligible to take part in the IWF Grand Prix in Havana, Cuba, from June 8 until 18.
Any weightlifters who have not started their qualifying effort by the end of that competition cannot go to Paris 2024 because they will be unable to participate in the minimum five events by the time qualification finishes next April.
Last week, Russia reacted strongly to the conditions for entry imposed by the IWF, and sent a letter to the governing body after the deadline had passed saying it would respond “soon”, after consulting athletes and holding a National Federation Board meeting.
By that point, May 16, Russia’s chances of competing as neutrals were already dead, as far as the IWF is concerned.
Maxim Agapitov, President of the Russian Weightlifting Federation, claimed the conditions imposed by the IWF – based on recommendations from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and similar to those in other sports – were “discriminatory” and against the Olympic Charter. —Inside-the-games.biz
