Lifting the Future: IWF’s Bold Vision for Growth, Equality, and Olympic Excellence

In an insightful conversation with iSportConnect’s Taruka, International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President Mohammed Jalood discusses the federation’s key initiatives to promote weightlifting in underrepresented regions, the sport’s Olympic future, and governance reforms. He also shares IWF’s strides toward gender equality, digital innovations, and commercial growth, along with his long-term vision for the sport. Dive into this in-depth interview to understand how weightlifting is evolving on the global stage.

What are the key initiatives the IWF is implementing to promote weightlifting in underrepresented regions?

The IWF is firmly committed to ensuring aspiring athletes are provided opportunities to engage with weightlifting, and we have several key initiatives in place to achieve this.

We launched the Refugee Team Programme in 2023, which provides athletes with refugee status the chance to compete internationally. This initiative, in collaboration with the UNHCR, ensures that displaced athletes can remain active in the sport and pursue their aspirations internationally. 

Additionally, we established the Athletes Direct Support Programme. This initiative offers financial assistance to elite athletes from countries that lack strong sporting infrastructure. In its inaugural year, 10 athletes from underrepresented nations, notably Kenya, Uganda, Korea, Iran, Ireland, Türkiye, Argentina, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea were supported in their preparations for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The IWF also continues to enhance its Development Programme. Through the funds allocated to this initiative, athletes in underrepresented regions are given the opportunity to showcase their talent and qualify for global competitions such as the IWF World Championships.

These efforts are part of our broader vision to ensure weightlifting is a truly global sport and accessible to all, regardless of location or background.

How is the IWF working to ensure weightlifting’s continued inclusion in the Olympic Games, especially amidst recent challenges? How are the preparations for LA2028? How much impact will the fires have on the same?

We strongly believe that weightlifting is a cornerstone of the Olympic Games. As one of the founding sports, it embodies the “stronger” component of the Olympic motto. That said, we do not take our place on the Olympic programme for granted. The IWF has worked tirelessly to address the challenges that have threatened our inclusion in recent years, implementing reforms to enhance governance, improve anti-doping efforts and modernise the sport’s presentation to appeal to new audiences.

Looking ahead to LA2028, the city has a rich sporting history, including weightlifting, so we are optimistic about the opportunities this presents. While it is difficult to comment on the potential impact of the devastating wildfires, we are confident that LA, with the support of the IOC and the entire Olympic Movement, every effort will be made to deliver a brilliant Games. 

What reforms has the IWF undertaken to address governance and anti-doping issues, and what progress has been made?

Doping remains a challenge across all sports, and weightlifting has previously faced difficulties in this regard. However, we have made significant strides over the past six years to confront this issue head-on. Our renewed partnership with the International Testing Agency (ITA), recently extended through to 2028, is a demonstration of our commitment to clean competition. The results are already evident. For instance, ahead of Paris 2024, weightlifting was one of the few sports where every single athlete underwent testing in the six months leading up to the Games. Additionally, the athletes competing in Paris earned their places through a revised qualification system praised by the IOC, as it requires consistent participation in tested competitions throughout the qualification period.

In terms of governance, the IWF has undergone a complete transformation. Our revised constitution enforces stringent ethics and integrity requirements for anyone involved in the federation’s leadership, with compliance overseen by an independent Eligibility Determination Panel. Today, the IWF is guided by a leadership team unified in its mission to prioritise the best interests of the sport and its athletes. We are not only closing the door on the past but building a foundation for a brighter and more sustainable future.

What steps are being taken to ensure equal opportunities for male and female weightlifters across competitions and leadership roles?

Equality is a principle that underpins everything we do at the IWF, and we are proud of the progress weightlifting has made in this area. Today, our female weightlifters enjoy the same opportunities as their male counterparts, both in competition and in broader participation. This was exemplified at Paris 2024, where the quotas were strictly equal, with 60 men and 60 women competing.

Beyond the numbers, we are seeing meaningful cultural shifts. The growth of women’s weightlifting in regions like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Syria illustrates the power of weightlifting and its ability to transcend societal barriers. The IWF will continue to support and facilitate this growth, not only for athletes but also for women seeking roles in coaching, officiating and leadership. 

At institutional level, we are also committed to enhance gender equity. The IWF Executive Board now comprises nine women, including Ursula Papandrea serving as the IWF’s First Vice-President. This is a clear demonstration of our commitment to gender diversity at the highest levels of governance.

With the rise of virtual sports, is the IWF exploring any innovative formats or collaborations with digital platforms to engage fans?

The rapid pace of digital transformation creates lots of exciting opportunities for our sport – particularly in the form of direct-to-consumer revenue generation. It also opens up potential for great fan and viewer engagement through enhanced sports presentation. We recently renewed our partnership with SPORTFIVE for the 2024–2028 period, which is allowing us to expand our broadcasting and marketing efforts across a broad range of our events, including the upcoming IWF World Championships in Forde (NOR) and in 2026 the IWF World Championships in Ningbo (CHN).

Who are your current commercial partners? Is the federation looking for more sponsorships and in which verticals?

The IWF has several long-standing key partnerships that are integral to our growth and development, such as our barbell and platforms manufacturers. Additionally, we recently signed an our eight-year agreement with SBD, a leading global sports brand, designing and manufacturing technical clothing, supports and accessories. As mentioned before, our partnership with SPORTFIVE, renewed for the 2024–2028 period, will help bring our sport to new audiences around the world. 

We remain open to new sponsorship and partnership opportunities in sectors that align with the evolving interests of our audiences and offer exciting potential for our sport to grow in new directions.

As President, what is your long-term vision for the IWF and the sport of weightlifting?

The IWF is working to continually strengthen its position in the Olympic Movement and stand out in the highly competitive world of international sport. We’re lucky to have such a wealth of expertise and experience within our team, but as a modern organisation, we need a clear plan to reach our full potential. 

That’s why we created our Strategic Plan for 2024-2032. This plan is a strong roadmap based on four key areas: protecting our athletes, improving our events, future-proofing the IWF and exploring new opportunities beyond our usual focus. The Plan includes over 100 specific actions and strategies to push each area forward and we’re in the process of actioning these goals. Every one of them is achievable by 2032, and I’m proud of the direction we’re heading.