Empowering clean sport at the IWF World Youth & Junior Championships

The ITA led an impactful education initiative at the IWF World Youth & Junior Championships in Peru with ITA Education Ambassador, Thais Cevada, equipping young weightlifting athletes and Athlete Support Personnel (ASP) with essential knowledge to embrace clean sport values.

Thais’ clean sport presentation, which gathered over 100 participants, provided an interactive platform for learning about rights, responsibilities and best practices within the anti-doping system. Alongside the presentation, Thais also hosted a clean sport booth over four days, where athletes and ASP could ask questions, play educational games and learn more about clean sport in a fun, hands-on way.

Reflecting on the presentation, Thais highlighted a positive shift in understanding: “I feel that now athletes and ASP are really starting to understand what clean sport is and how to perform the required skills to keep clean within the anti-doping system.”

Participants echoed this view with comments such as, “Having fun is the best way for athletes to engage in learning their rights and responsibilities with clean sport” (from a Korean ASP) and “We have been educated every year, and each year I understand better what clean sport is about” (from a Colombian athlete).

Through the presentation and the booth, the ITA and the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) made learning about clean sport clear, fun and easy to understand, helping young athletes build their careers on a strong, honest foundation.