Picture this: Brazil joining the UEFA European Championship, Usain Bolt making an appearance at the Asian Athletic Championships, or Simone Biles competing in the European Gymnastics Championships. Sounds pretty surreal, right?
Well, believe it or not, something akin to that actually happened in the world of weightlifting, leaving many, myself included, scratching our heads in confusion.
In December 2023, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) greenlit USA Weightlifting’s unconventional participation in the 2024 European Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. But why did they do that?
To qualify for Paris 2024, athletes must meet specific participation criteria, including competing in designated championships and events until the end of April 2024. For US athletes, one of these designated competitions are the Pan American Championships.
However, USA Weightlifting released an official statement expressing gratitude towards IWF President Mohammed Jalood and European Weightlifting Federation President Antonio Conflitti for permitting Olympic-eligible Team USA athletes to compete in the European Championships instead of the Pan American Championships in Caracas, Venezuela. This decision was made with the safety and logistical challenges of the American team in mind and it was assured that “results from the European Championships would count toward Olympic qualification”.
The general public, particularly those not closely following USA Weightlifting media or their athletes’ social media platforms, seemed more or less blindsided by these developments as the information provided about these events by official bodies (except for USA Weightlifting) were zero to none and many netizens seemed confused when US athletes started posting their competition times this week. To weightlifting fans and practitioners it is probably not surprising that IWF did a terrible job updating the community, considering their bad reputation regarding all things social media. Consequently, the lack of transparent communication from the IWF, as well as the Pan American Weightlifting Federation, about these recent changes is not surprising but makes one wonder: when will the IWF finally start taking its own sport seriously? Or was the silence an attempt to stay under the radar and avoid public outcry?
Adding to this, it is astounding that out of the many options to host the Pan American Championships, Venezuela was agreed to be the best possible option for this year’s competition – a country for which travel advisories are at their highest and its current stability is questionable. USA’s neighbor Canada, for instance, with a similar travel warning like the US, are still set to compete and with no exemptions or withdrawals announced yet. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether they will follow through with the competition keeping the current situation in mind. The decision to host the competition in Venezuela prompts further scrutiny into the selection process for host countries and underscores the need for transparent and accountable decision-making within international sports organizations.
Most importantly, the implications of the US delegation’s participation in Europe remain unclear, particularly regarding the eligibility of US athletes for European titles. This ambiguity raises questions about fairness and equity in international competitions. Whether US athletes are included or excluded from contention, their presence is likely to affect both athletes and audiences, shaping perceptions of fairness and influencing the dynamics of competition. Clarity and transparency regarding the treatment of results are essential to uphold the integrity of the European Championships and ensure a level playing field for all participants.
That being said, and while I do enjoy watching the US team compete, I maintain a level of skepticism regarding their participation in the Euros. With the Olympic qualification season running until April 28, 2024, I believe alternative solutions could have been explored for these, what the IWF calls, ”truly exceptional circumstances”. I think it is also important to highlight that my skepticism doesn’t stem from European protectionism but rather from doubts regarding the availability and application of this special treatment to all national weightlifting associations worldwide. At present, one can only speculate whether such rule adaptions would be accessible to everyone or exclusively reserved for selected players, such as the US.
The situation feels somewhat akin to Australia and Israel participating in the Eurovision Song Contest—perhaps not inherently wrong, but undeniably weird and out of place from the perspective of most continental Europeans. It raises broader questions about the fairness of competition, decision-making processes within the IWF, and the effectiveness of communication and media management. Last, but not least, it calls for a critical examination and potential changes of the IWF’s qualification system and rulebook.
Resources
https://www.usaweightlifting.org/news/2024/february/10/european-championships-up-next-for-team-usa
https://olympics.com/en/news/pathway-to-paris-2024-weightlifting-qualification-system-explained
