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.
