News

[strapping]

https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-eb-pu ... oc-session

The news is far more subdued than the IWF is making it out to be.

[Elle]

https://iwf.sport/2023/10/16/weightlift ... eles-2028/

This is a great confirmation!

[strapping]

https://iwf.sport/2023/10/16/weightlift ... eles-2028/

This is a great confirmation!

It is indeed good news; but I would temper expectations.

I don't believe weightlifting will have any more categories than Paris (5+5), especially as the IOC has mentioned that it wants to cut down on the number of athletes but has also announced several new team sports.

The executive board's merddling (typo, but appropriate) with the 2018- weight categories to try to pressure the IOC into accepting more slots was a predictable strategic blunder.

Weightlifting does not bring much TV money. Western countries don't care about it, big Asian countries (e.g. China) will dominate but overall not care, leaving only smaller countries/companies with smaller budgets paying for coverage.

My personal belief (founded upon nothing whatsoever) is that if weightlifting keeps away from negative press, we will see 5+5 in LA 2028. The IOC could cut numbers down to 4+4, but anything less than that would be difficult to justify keeping the sport IMO.

[strapping]

https://iwf.sport/2023/11/03/iwf-world- ... -negative/

A surprising result; one subsequently expects a spate of OOC positives in the following months. Probably for the same things as other recent OOC positives.

[erpel]

It's not believable. But what can one do? (rhetorical)

[strapping]

It's a clear demonstration of the necessity of OOC testing for the countries using relatively more advanced and modern compounds (anabolic steroids invented in the late 1950s and 1960s). Turkey and Turkmenistan only got busted OOC.

Whilst it's a total myth that the older generation of SARMS (e.g. Ostarine) is difficult to detect, we'll see what happens in future. Seems to me that there is potential for SARMS to make things difficult, but I don't tbink that's happening at the moment.

It's a bit of a joke that Thailand is just coming off a ban from their 2018 escapades with Adiols (strange case in multiple ways) and they have juniors who are doing some North Korean kinda lifts. Then of course you have Ri Song Gum becoming Naim 2 (or 3 after Om).

As you say, there's no practicable complete solution. All that can be done is trying to get more OOC testing (paying the ITA exorbitant fees). At least it does mean that people cycled off longer now than before.

[strapping]

Brief thoughts on current events

JWC

• Event seemed to run well.
• W49 was a very close battle for the podium, 1st to 4th 172-171-170-170
• Name a more iconic duo than Japanese and snatch specialist.
• No clear breakout performances I can think of.

Pacific Games/Oceania Weightlifting Championships (Paris 2024 qualifier)

• The competition appeared to have lots of issues but given the broader organisational circumstances of the Pacific Games, probably about as good as was achievable.
• Minor changes to qualification ranking. W71 continental slot goes from one Australian to another, ditto for M89.
• W81 CIKAMATANA Eileen stays in OQR rank #5 but goes from 256 to 260.
• M61 PNG, W59 MHL, M102+ NZL, W87+ SAM provisional continental allocations remain unchanged and unlikely to change.

IWF 2023 Grand Prix II Doha

• Entry list released 2023.11.22
• North Korea still entered for some reason
• 7 300kg totals in M61 is comical
• Shi Zhiyong entered at 340. Reality is anyone's guess.
• Tian Tao is entered, despite recently posting a photo of himself hospitalised. However, he may have only gone to hospital as a bit.
• Plenty of sessions look stacked on the entry list but the reality is that many lifters will only weigh-in (regardless of the 60kg rule) or do a light competition.

[Hawkpeter]

I feel bad for Mohammad Butt, he is a very solid lifter.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/113281 ... O-BQ_e8CWU

[strapping]

I feel bad for Mohammad Butt, he is a very solid lifter.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/113281 ... O-BQ_e8CWU

I'd expect this to be quietly paid by the government before the start of the next Olympic cycle.

General note: Butt is a common family name in Pakistan. AFAIK Muhammad Nooh Dastgir Butt has no relation to the Butt family that runs the PWLF.

[Hawkpeter]

Rankings for Paris are now up to date through the beginning of the month.