CHENNAI: With the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) deciding not to extend the Olympic qualification period during its executive board meeting, the fate of the weightlifters attempting to qualify for the Games seems to have been sealed. The executive board during its meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland on March 17 and 18 accepted a modified Olympic qualification system and submitted it to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for approval.
The modified qualification system might work in favour of a couple of Indian weightlifters, the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) believes. “The future of all Olympic qualifying events looks bleak now. Going by the current world and Asian continental rankings, Mirabai Chanu (women’s 48kg) and Jeremy Lalrinnunga (men’s 67kg) seems to have made the Olympic cut. Rakhi Halder (64kg) could have accumulated important ranking points had the Asian Championships been organised but now, her qualification looks difficult,” Sahdev Yadav, IWLF secretary-general, told this daily.
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 Tokyo event. Besides, the best lifter from each continent ranked outside the top eight will also qualify in each category. Lifters can contest in seven weight categories each in the men’s and women’s sections. Every country can send a maximum of four male and as many female participants. The participation will also be dependent on the country’s history of dope offences.
Chanu is presently fourth in the world rankings while Jeremy is the top lifter in his weight category in Asia making him favourite to qualify for the Olympics, said the IWLF secretary-general. “We’re grooming Jeremy for the next Games so we are not expecting much from him but Chanu is certainly a medal hope for the country this time,” Yadav added. Earlier, the international body was advised by the IOC to consider modifications into the existing qualification system after cancellation and postponement of qualifying events across the globe due to the coronavirus outbreak. The IWF assigned the task to its sport commission to make the necessary changes to the system.