It was announced yesterday that Moscow has been chosen to host the 2030 World Weightlifting Championships, in a move that makes the sport's international federation the first Olympic sports governing body to grant Russia the right to organize a world championship since 2022, following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Russia has not hosted any world championship in an Olympic sport, whether summer or winter, since the beginning of the war. The 2025 World Aquatics Championships, originally awarded to the Russian city of Kazan, were relocated to Singapore.
The International Weightlifting Federation said in a statement that the 2029 World Championships will be held in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, while Moscow will host the 2030 edition.
For his part, the Federation's Secretary-General, José Quiñones, said that all submitted bid files were excellent, expressing his confidence in the success of the championships in the host countries.
The President of the Russian Weightlifting Federation, Alexander Vinokurov, thanked the International Federation for its trust, noting that the 2030 championship will also serve as a qualifying milestone for the 2032 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Vinokurov said in a post on the Telegram application that Russia possesses the expertise and capabilities necessary to organize competitions at the highest levels, adding that Moscow has repeatedly hosted major international sporting events and boasts modern infrastructure.
The Russian Federation considered winning the hosting rights a prominent achievement, emphasizing that it is the first Olympic sport federation to succeed in bringing a high-level official competition back to the country after many years.
The decision comes in the wake of the International Olympic Committee's announcement of a pathway allowing Russian athletes to return to international competitions and qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The participation of Russian athletes had been subjected to extensive restrictions against the backdrop of a state-sponsored doping program, which the World Anti-Doping Agency stated was implemented during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, in addition to the war launched by Russia on Ukraine in 2022. Russian athletes have participated in international competitions under various formats, most notably as "Individual Neutral Athletes."
On July 7, the International Olympic Committee eased restrictions on Russian athletes and opened a pathway for them to participate in the qualifiers for the 2028 Olympics, prompting Ukraine to file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport demanding the decision be overturned.
