Weightlifting changes Olympic qualifying rules

The International Weightlifting Federation says it has changed its Olympic qualifying criteria in response to the coronavirus outbreak but won’t say how the new system works.

Olympic qualifying in dozens of sports has been thrown into chaos as continental championships around the world have been postponed.

The IWF says it has drawn up a replacement set of qualifying rules and submitted them to the International Olympic Committee but it won’t tell athletes or national federations about the changes until the IOC signs off on the plan.

The IWF says it has ruled out extending the qualifying period beyond April 30. That means any rescheduled continental championships won’t count.

Weightlifting’s long-standing problems with doping caused the IWF to demand top lifters competed more regularly at international events to be eligible for the Olympics — and to be subject to more doping tests. They were required to compete at least once between November and April.

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