Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz thinks that one likely solution to have weightlifting competitions in the 2024 Paris Olympics is for it to be organized by the International Olympics Committee (IOC).
Diaz said that as an athlete, she is clueless on the fate of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), which is facing suspension from the IOC due to alleged doping and corruption, as well as leadership issues between warring factions.
Diaz, however, said that the idea of IOC taking over is a possibility.
“Sa totoo lang hindi namin alam kung ano ang mangyayari. Pero ako ang alam ko, hindi mawawala ang weightlifting. Magko-control niyan IOC,” said the 30-year-old Diaz said Wednesday, August 25 in a message to Manila Bulletin.
Diaz became the first Filipino to capture a gold medal in the history of its participation in the Olympics, or since the 1924 Paris Summer Games. She ruled the 55-kilogram women’s category in the last Olympics.
Aside from the gold medal, the Philippines went home with two silvers courtesy of boxers Nesthy Petecio and CarloPaalam, while fellow boxer Eumir Marcial earned a bronze in the Tokyo Olympics.
Diaz said that while it affects the athletes whenever a federation he or she belongs gets suspended from the IOC, there is still something positive to gain if it happens to weightlifting.
“Kawawa ang mga atleta. Pero kung yun ang gagawin ng IOC, wala kaming magagawa para lang mabigyan ng leksyon ang IWF leaders,” said Diaz, who has participated in four Olympics including the 2016 Rio Games where she claimed a silver medal.
The sentiments of Diaz is similar to what Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino said last week, as he too mentioned that the IOC may step in to organize the weightlifting event in the Paris Olympics.
“Just like in boxing, ang magpa-patakbo ang IOC,” said Tolentino, referring to competitions in boxing supervised and organized by the IOC after the committee suspended AIBA – of the International Boxing Association – in 2019.
Officials of the IWF are expected to meet starting Sunday in Doha, Qatar to discuss possible changes with its leadership and policies.
Former Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) president Monico Puentevella, currently the president of the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP), expressed optimism that the IWF would be able to find a solution and avoid suspension from the IOC.
“Do not worry. We will fix this issue in Doha,” said Puentevella. “We’ll fix it in our constitutional congress. I’m sure we’ll all find a solution to this issue.”
“I’m optimistic that we’ll somehow find a way to unify everyone. As a former President of Asian Weightlifting, I shall attend this critical meeting in our beautiful Olympic sport and make sure we satisfy the wishes of the IOC.”