In brief
At the 2026 World Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo, IWF secretary Jose Quinones warned that without change weightlifting could become obsolete. He highlighted new competition formats, tougher independent doping controls, and a 2028 schedule overhaul. “We need role models that can bring this youth to a clean society,” he said, underlining the sport’s commitment to integrity.
At the 2026 World Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo, the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) general secretary, Jose Quinones, warned that weightlifting could become a “dinosaur” unless it learned to attract younger audiences while staying clean.
Quinones noted that older fans of Olympic sports are fading and new, non‑controlled sports are gaining popularity. “The people who follow the Olympic sports are getting older, while new sports or physical activities, where doping is not controlled, are only a show with no principles,” he said.
Backed by the IWF’s recent reforms, Quinones said the federation had moved doping control to the independent International Testing Authority, “everything is in third hands,” ensuring no hidden decisions.
We don’t decide who will be tested; we decide, if it’s a positive case, what the sanction will be. Everything is in third hands. In that way, we cannot control, we cannot hide anything.
He added that in the last two Olympic Games there were zero doping cases, a result he credits to increased testing and a dedicated budget portion for anti‑doping education and seminars.
To make weightlifting more appealing, the IWF is experimenting with new competition formats. Earlier this year, a mixed‑team event featuring two men and two women tested the waters, and plans for public‑space competitions are underway.
Quinones also announced a new international schedule that will launch in 2028, intended to refresh the sport’s global calendar.
Beyond policy, he emphasized the need for clean role models. “We need role models that can bring this youth to a clean society, through the sport,” he said, pointing to the broader goal of shaping a future generation of athletes who value integrity.
