Partnership for clean lifting: International Weightlifting Federation renews contract with the ITA

The IWF has formally signed a new agreement with the ITA for the 2025–2028 period, ensuring the continuation of their partnership dedicated to promoting clean weightlifting through to the Olympic Games LA28. Since 2019, when the IWF entrusted its anti-doping activities, including results management, to the independent not-for-profit organisation, this collaboration has achieved significant milestones in advancing clean sport. These efforts have played a pivotal role in securing weightlifting’s place in the Olympic program, reflecting the comprehensive reforms implemented in the sport’s anti-doping framework. Additionally, the ITA has conducted both large- and small-scale investigations on behalf of the IWF, exposing anti-doping rule violations beyond individual athletes. The ITA has also worked closely with the IWF’s Anti-Doping Commission, providing consultation and support to strengthen and reform the federation’s clean sport infrastructure.

The ITA has further enhanced anti-doping measures for weightlifting by intensifying out-of-competition testing and implementing additional safeguards to uphold the sport’s integrity. More recently, the ITA successfully supported weightlifting throughout the Olympic Games Paris 2024, overseeing anti-doping efforts both during the lead-up to the Games and throughout the competitions themselves. These actions underscore the ITA’s ongoing commitment to ensuring a level playing field for weightlifting athletes worldwide.

“We are extremely satisfied with this partnership, as it allowed us to pursue on a transparent and independent way our anti-doping strategy. Weightlifting definitively changed from the moment we partnered with the ITA – and this was essential for our credibility and growth as an Olympic sport. We are now a respected International Federation that operated a structural change in the way it looks at this essential area. The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics are already on the horizon and we will get there very well accompanied by the ITA,” considered the IWF President Mohammed Jalood.

“We are honored to continue our partnership with the IWF, a collaboration that has proven to be a game-changer for weightlifting athletes worldwide. By placing the utmost emphasis on clean sport, the IWF has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to protecting athletes and ensuring fair competition,” stated ITA Director General Benjamin Cohen. “This renewed trust underscores the IWF’s determination to uphold the integrity of weightlifting and reflects the success of the reforms achieved together since 2019. We congratulate the IWF on their leadership in this critical area and look forward to supporting the weightlifting community on the path to LA28 and beyond.”