The verdict came in last month: weightlifting will have the same quota of athletes (60 men, 60 women) and ten weight categories at 2028 Los Angeles Olympic GamesThis was a disappointment for the IWF, which had requested the addition of four categories (two for men, two for women) and a slight increase in the athlete quota (from 120 to 126). IF President Mohammed Jalood discusses the decision and the development of weightlifting in a two-part interview.
You requested more categories for Los Angeles 2028, but the IOC refused. Why do you think your proposal was relevant?
The IWF's request was directly motivated by athletes' concerns about the five existing weight classes. As IWF events are held in a larger number of weight classes, there are significant gaps between the Olympic weight classes. This poses a real challenge for our weightlifters, as they are forced to lose or gain weight to "fit" into these classes. This has obvious health and training consequences. Therefore, the IWF's proposal to increase the number of classes at the Games (without increasing the athlete quota) was aimed at reducing these "gaps," thereby mitigating the differences between the Olympic and IWF competition programs.
What can you do to get these additional categories in the future?
We must continue to fight for this, as the underlying problem remains unresolved. While we understand the quota limitations for athletes and events at the Games, we are confident that the situation can improve in the future. Structural changes within our International Federation, combined with the growing prestige and exposure of our events, should convince the IOC of the need for greater representation of our sport—one of the nine founding sports of the modern Games in 1896.
On the other hand, the Commonwealth Games program has been significantly reduced for 2026, but weightlifting has retained its place among the 10 selected sports. Has the IWF been involved in defending your sport's place?
Weightlifting has been an integral part of the Commonwealth Games program since 1950. We are a strong sport within this event and have established a tradition of excellence in many Commonwealth territories, particularly in Oceania. The Commonwealth Games Federation attaches particular importance to this sport, and through fruitful dialogue and cooperation, we have secured our place in this competition. This continued inclusion once again demonstrates the popularity of weightlifting and its power to inspire young athletes across five continents.
"We have organized or supported several urban competitions, in central locations or on busy city streets. We must constantly improve; never rest on our laurels."
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Weightlifting has also been added to the 2027 European Games program. Is this a strong signal regarding the place of weightlifting in major multi-sport events?
Indeed. This is a very positive step forward for our International Federation. The European Continental Federation has advocated for this inclusion for many years, and the excellent image of our sport within the Olympic Movement certainly contributed to this favorable outcome. The European Games have gained enormous popularity, and I am convinced that the inclusion of our sport will add value to their future development.
Now that your position in these major events is strengthened, what are the next steps to develop weightlifting?
In sports, there's a saying that reaching the top isn't as difficult as staying there. In recent years, we've implemented dramatic and radical changes to the governance of our sport, as well as how we develop our competitions and the image of weightlifting for its fans. At our events, we constantly strive to improve the presentation of the sport and the overall spectacle for television viewers, digital consumers, and on-site spectators. This includes more attractive venue design, the simultaneous use of multiple platforms, and improvements in television production. Furthermore, since 2022, we've been working to bring weightlifting outside of indoor venues. We've organized or supported several street/urban competitions where athletes and spectators can enjoy our sport in central locations or busy city streets. These events often feature innovative changes to the competition format, such as mixed teams. We must constantly improve; we must never rest on our laurels.
