International Weightlifting Federation facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | IWF |
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| Formation | 1905 |
| Type | Sports Federation |
| Headquarters | Lausanne, Switzerland |
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Region served
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Worldwide |
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Official language
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English |
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Interim President
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Dr. Michael Sheriar Irani (Interim) |
| Affiliations | International Olympic Committee |
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) is a major sports organization. It is based in Lausanne, Switzerland. The IWF is the main group that manages the sport of Olympic weightlifting around the world.
The IWF makes sure that weightlifting competitions are fair and follow the rules. It also helps to promote the sport and encourages more people to get involved.
What is the IWF?
The IWF is like the boss of weightlifting for the Olympics and other big international events. It sets the rules for how weightlifting competitions should be run. This includes things like the weight categories for athletes and how judges score lifts.
The IWF also works to keep the sport clean and fair. They have rules against cheating and make sure athletes compete honestly.
How the IWF Started
The International Weightlifting Federation was created a long time ago, in 1905. When it first started, it had a different name: the Fédération Haltérophile International (FHI). It changed its name to IWF between the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics.
Today, the IWF has 192 different countries as members. This means that almost every country that has weightlifters is part of the IWF family. The current Interim President of the IWF is Michael Irani from Great Britain.
IWF's Global Family
The IWF works with other smaller groups around the world. These groups are called continental federations. They help manage weightlifting in different parts of the world. Each continent has its own federation that works closely with the IWF.
These continental federations are:
- Weightlifting Federation of Africa (WFA): This group looks after weightlifting in African countries.
- Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF): This group manages weightlifting across Asia.
- European Weightlifting Federation (EWF): This group is in charge of weightlifting in Europe.
- Oceania Weightlifting Federation (OWF): This group handles weightlifting in countries around the Pacific Ocean.
- Pan American Weightlifting Federation (PAWF): This group manages weightlifting in North and South America.
These groups help organize competitions and develop weightlifting talent in their regions. They all work together to make weightlifting a popular and fair sport worldwide.
