Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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The European Weightlifting Federation has hosted an extraordinary Partial Electoral Congress in Batumi, Georgia, AzerNEWS reports.

The event focused specifically on filling vacant positions within EWF committees, including the Medical Committee and the Coaching, Research, and Scientific Committee.

Azerbaijan was represented at the congress by the Vice President of the Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation and a member of the International Weightlifting Federation's Advisory Group, Firdovsi Umudov.

The event began with a speech by the President of the European Weightlifting Federation, Astrit Hasani, who presented the congress agenda and delivered the annual report.

Following the approval of audit reports, participants were informed about competitions scheduled for 2026–2027. Extraordinary elections were then held to fill vacant positions within the federation.

As part of his participation in the congress, Firdovsi Umudov held meetings with EWF President Astrit Hasani, the organization's Secretary General Milan Mihajlović, and the President of the Georgian Weightlifting Federation, Lasha Talakhadze.

The discussions focused on the organization of competitions, updates to regulations, and bilateral cooperation.

The European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) is the governing body for Olympic-style weightlifting in Europe, founded in 1969 to organize championships and regulate the sport.

It supervises 49 national federations, serves as the continental arm of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), and promotes clean, fair competition through anti-doping initiatives.

The Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation (AWF) oversees national competitions, athlete development programs, and the selection of lifters who represent the country at international events.

The federation was established in the mid-20th century, during the Soviet era, when weightlifting was already a popular and highly competitive sport in the region. After Azerbaijan gained independence in 1991, the AWF was restructured to function as an independent national governing body. Since then, it has worked to rebuild and modernize the sport, aligning itself with international standards and organizations such as the International Weightlifting Federation.

The Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation is currently headed by President Kamran Nabizade, who has led the organization since September 28, 2023.

The main goals of the Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation include developing weightlifting at both grassroots and elite levels, identifying and nurturing young talent, and improving the overall quality of coaching and training systems across the country.

Another key objective of the AWF is to achieve strong results on the international stage. Azerbaijani weightlifters have competed in major events such as European Championships, World Championships, and the Olympic Games, often achieving notable success.