On 5 January 2020 the German television network, ARD aired the program “Der Herr de Heber” (The Lord of the Lifters), a documentary film by Hajo Seppelt, Nick Butler and Gritt Hartmann (the “ARD Documentary”). The documentary claimed the leadership of the International Weightlifting Federation (“IWF”) participated in or had knowledge of numerous irregularities occurring within the IWF. The allegations related to corruption, financial irregularities, property investment, doping control testing and sample manipulation combined with doping fine payment irregularities.
Following the documentary, the IWF appointed Professor Richard H. McLaren to independently investigate allegations of impropriety surrounding President Dr. Tamas Ajan and the IWF. The following report summarises the findings of the McLaren investigation.
