In brief
Jose Quinones, IWF general secretary, said on November 7, 2026 that weightlifting must adopt new models to attract younger audiences, lest the sport become a “dinosaur.” The federation has overhauled doping controls by handing testing to the independent International Testing Authority and reported zero violations in the last two Olympics. Quinones also announced trials of mixed‑team events, public‑space competitions and a 2028 schedule as part of the IWF’s broader strategy to preserve its reputation and inspire a new generation of clean athletes.
On November 7, 2026, at the World Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo, International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) general secretary Jose Quinones warned that the Olympic sport faces the risk of becoming a “dinosaur” if it does not evolve to attract younger audiences. According to Xinhua, Quinones said the sport “needs to remain competitive and clean against people who don’t have the same values,” citing the decline of older audiences in traditional Olympic sports amidst the rise of newer entertainment forms.
Quinones highlighted the IWF’s commitment to clean competition following the doping scandal that emerged after retesting samples from the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. He said the federation had “transferred responsibility for doping controls to the independent International Testing Authority” and clarified that the IWF only decides sanctions after a positive test, ensuring “everything is in third hands. In that way, we cannot control, we cannot hide anything.” As of the last two Olympic Games, the IWF reported zero doping cases, a claim confirmed by Quinones.
"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,"
Quinones stressed that restoring confidence requires role models that can bring a clean ethic to younger generations. He noted, “We need role models that can bring this youth to a clean society, through the sport.” At the same time, the IWF is experimenting with ways the sport can become more engaging for younger spectators.
Reforming Competition Formats and Engagement Strategies
The federation has begun trials of mixed‑team competition formats involving two men and two women, a system aimed at showcasing teamwork and diversity. In addition, IWF officials are exploring public‑space competitions, which would bring lifting events into parks, campuses and city centres to reach broader audiences. Quinones said these experiments are part of a broader plan to revise the sport’s international calendar for 2028, a schedule that will feature updated formats and possibly new venues.
Future Outlook and International Schedule
Looking ahead, the IWF’s new 2028 schedule is intended to modernise how weightlifting is presented while maintaining strict anti‑doping measures. The federation has pledged a fixed proportion of its international budget to anti‑doping education, seminars, and outreach programs aimed at youth. The overarching message from the IWF, as relayed by Xinhua, is that the sport can only avoid becoming a relic by embracing innovation in both competition structure and audience engagement while continuing to uphold its clean‑sport standards.
