Mohammed Jalood, President of IWF Photo: Courtesy of IWF

The return of the IWF World Weightlifting Championships to China after a 31-year absence will put Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang Province, in the spotlight as the sport's first qualifying event for LA2028 gets underway.

In an exclusive interview with the Global Times, International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President Mohammed Jalood expressed his confidence in the host city's preparations and emphasized the need to sustain reforms in anti-doping and attract a new generation of fans.

The championships, scheduled for October 27 to November 8 at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center, are expected to bring together more than 600 athletes from over 100 countries and regions. 

The Ningbo Olympic Sports Center in East China's Zhejiang Province Photo: VCG

Jalood said the return to China - Guangzhou last hosted the event in 1995 - was a milestone for the sport, citing the country's longstanding tradition and the city's preparations.

"Following site visits from the IWF, we are fully confident that Ningbo will host an unforgettable event for the weightlifting family," he told the Global Times.

The event will also mark the first qualifying competition on the road to the 2028 Olympics, giving it significance beyond the competition itself. 

For China, a country with a strong record in international weightlifting, hosting the competition also offers an opportunity to deepen its engagement with the global sport. 

Jalood described China as "a weightlifting powerhouse," noting that it is home to the world's first weightlifting museum and millions of passionate fans. "It is always a privilege for our athletes, officials, and staff to be in China, and we look forward to continuing this close cooperation for future events," he added.

Broader participation

The Ningbo championships will be the first World Championships to feature the new Olympic weight categories introduced for the 2028 cycle. The changes are intended to help protect athletes' health while expanding opportunities to compete for medals, Jalood noted.

"After listening to the IWF Athletes' Commission and understanding that more bodyweight categories would help prevent injuries and reduce health risks for athletes, we were extremely happy when the IOC responded positively to our proposal," he said.

"The two extra medal events will not only create a more exciting program in Los Angeles, but also make our sport more accessible, attracting more lifters, from more countries, than ever before."

The new categories represent one part of the IWF's broader effort to make weightlifting more inclusive and appealing to a wider international audience. 

However, Jalood said the federation must also reconsider how the sport is presented to spectators, particularly younger fans accustomed to fast-paced digital entertainment.

The IWF has been exploring new formats to make competitions faster and more engaging. Jalood pointed to the federation's two-platform system, designed to create a more continuous flow of action, as well as mixed-team competitions.

The federation recently tested a mixed-team format in Lausanne, Switzerland, which Jalood said had been well received by participants and spectators who attended.

"Enhancing our sport's presentation for TV viewers, social media, and fans at our events remains one of our core objectives," he said. "We are constantly discussing and reviewing how we can innovate the way both existing and new fans consume our sport."

He also sees an opportunity to connect competitive weightlifting with the wider public's interest in health and fitness. "A message that we continue to promote, particularly to those who are new to the sport, is that weightlifting is not only about lifting heavy weights," Jalood said.

The IWF wants people of different ages to understand that regular resistance training, even with light weights, can be part of a healthy lifestyle.

"It is not about who can lift the heaviest weight from day one, but about starting small, building confidence, and, most importantly, enjoying the experience," he said.

Prioritizing anti-doping

The push to expand weightlifting's appeal comes alongside the continuing task of protecting the sport's credibility. Weightlifting has faced repeated doping controversies over the years, putting its Olympic future under scrutiny. 

The IWF has since strengthened its anti-doping framework, including delegating its anti-doping program to the independent International Testing Agency (ITA), which has supported the federation since 2019. 

Jalood said more than one-third of the IWF's annual budget now goes toward ensuring that its systems are robust and transparent, describing the investment as evidence of the federation's commitment to clean competition.

"We have worked incredibly hard over recent years to strengthen integrity and clean sport across all levels of weightlifting, with more than one-third of our annual budget now going towards ensuring our systems are robust and transparent," Jalood told the Global Times. 

"Our long-term partnership with the independent ITA, who are fully responsible for the running of our anti-doping strategy, has been critical in providing fair and clean competitions for lifters around the world. "

He added that the IWF's Olympic qualification system had been praised by the IOC and regarded as a benchmark for other sports. However, he stressed that progress cannot be taken for granted.

"But we cannot stand still. We will continue to work with all our stakeholders to continue to build on this positive progress," Jalood said.