CHENNAI: In its bid to chalk out strategies to counter the threat posed by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) will meet in Lausanne, Switzerland, on March 17 and 18. Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) president Birendra Prasad Baishya may also attend the meeting. It can be noted that the world body on Friday decided to postpone the Asian Championships. The event, slated from April 16 to 25, had earlier been shifted from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan due to the medical emergency. “Postponement of the Asian Championships is of great concern as it was a qualifying event. Discussions are on and it definitely will be a point of discussion when the world body meets. I haven’t decided on my participation yet, but it will be finalised in a few days,” the IWLF president told this daily.
Meanwhile, the IWF has issued guidelines for qualifying events if they are affected by the disease. The guidelines say that athletes can seek special permission from the IWF if the event is cancelled or participation is limited/restricted. While India’s Mirabai Chanu has virtually qualified for the Games, the event would have given Jeremy Lalrinnunga and Rakhi Halder a chance to garner important points and improve their rankings. “It (event postponement) will definitely affect the chances of Jeremy and Rakhi, but we are quite sure the world body will come up a solution.”
Olympic qualification in weightlifting is based on world rankings. The IWF divided it into three ranking periods, with the current and final one coming to an end on April 30. The rankings are based on four performances of each lifter. The top eight lifters in each weight category (one lifter per country) will qualify for the Games. Besides, the best lifter from each continent ranked outside the top eight will also qualify in each category. Lifters can contest in seven weight divisions each in men’s and women’s categories. Every country can send a maximum of four male and as many female participants.