Weightlifters will no longer be able to take their nation’s flag on to the podium, the head of the sport’s governing body said yesterday on the eve of the Asian Championships. According to a report by insidethegames the embarrassing flag-burning incident at the Opening Ceremony before the European Championships in Yerevan, Armenia last month – and a controversial podium incident last year – prompted the decision, said International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President Mohamed Jalood. “We are a sport, we represent peace, not fighting and arguments about who is best,” said Jalood at the Asian Weightlifting Federation Congress at Hotel Dong Bang in Jinju, Korea. Jalood said he discussed the situation last week with IWF general secretary Antonio Urso and Technical Committee chair Sam Coffa before the committee agreed on a ban. “What happened in Yerevan was taken into consideration when we talked about this,” said Jalood. Referring to an incident last year he added: “We don’t want athletes on a small podium trying to push their flags in front of each other – this is not sport.” From now on flags will still feature in medal ceremonies but as images on a screen, and no longer in the hands of athletes. At last year’s European Junior Championships in Albania a Turkish athlete disrespected an Armenian gold medallist. After Garik Karapetyan, one of Armenia’s best weightlifters, had been presented with his medal Emre Ozturk tried to cover up the winner’s flag with his own, left the podium during the Armenian anthem and refused to shake hands.

The European Weightlifting Federation banned flags from any podium ceremony involving Turkish and Armenian athletes for the rest of that competition, and in Yerevan three weeks ago it banned athletes’ flags outright because of the incident that made headlines worldwide. A fashion designer ran from the crowd during the parade of nations at the Opening Ceremony of the European Championships in Yerevan, Armenia and set light to the Azerbaijan flag. Days of political interference followed, in which various officials who have nothing to do with sport claimed that Armenia should be dropped by the IWF as a potential host for next year’s World Championships. Armenia has no diplomatic relations with either Azerbaijan or Turkey, host nation for next year’s European Championships. While Azerbaijan’s team flew home on Government orders, Turkey stayed and their federation President, Talat Unlu, praised the hosts for organising a successful Championships. The new policy will be formally adopted by the IWF at its next Executive Board meeting

Fencing: Egypt’s Hamza, Team USA rule Men’s Foil World Cup

Egypt’s Mohammed Hamza has won the individual men’s foil World Cup decided last weekend in Acapulco, Mexico. According to a media release by FIE, fencing world governing body, Hamza defeated Hong Kong, China’s Olympic champion, Ka Long Cheung to achieve the feat. Hamza won the final bout with a 15-10 final score. The United States of America (USA) showed class in the team event winning the gold medal. The three-day event which ran from May 5-7 took place at the Palacio Mundo Imperial, with 202 individual fencers and 27 teams participating. To reach the final, Cheung won against USA’s Gerek Meinhardt, 15-7, while Hamza defeated Italy’s Tommaso Marini, 15-8 in the semi finals. Of note, in the quarterfinals, Cheung beat France’s two-time world champion Enzo Lefort, 15-10, and in the table of 16, Meinhardt won against Italy’s Olympic champion Daniele Garozzo, 15-14, and Marini defeated USA’s world champion Miles Chamley-Watson, 15-8. In the men’s team foil event, USA won against Italy in the final match, 45-41. In the semifinals, Italy defeated France, 45-40, while USA beat Japan, 45-28. The bronze medal went to France over Japan, 45-43. Final rankings in men’s individual foil included Mohamed Hamza (EGY, gold), Ka Long Cheung (HKG, silver), Tommaso Marini (ITA, bronze), Gerek Meinhardt (USA, bronze), Enzo Lefort (FRA), Nick Itkin (USA), Chun Yin Ryan Choi (HKG) and Jie Xu (CHN). Final rankings in men’s team foil included USA (gold), Italy (silver), France (bronze), Japan, Korea, Hong Kong-China, Poland and Egypt.

Argentina 2023: Flying Eagles commence training sessions, look forward to Colombia test

Head Coach Isah Ladan Bosso and his assistants on Monday evening drilled Nigeria’s U20 boys, Flying Eagles in their first training session since arriving the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires on Sunday. The session which took place at the team’s Howard Johnson Hotel & Resorts lasted for 90 minutes, and concentrated on recovery after the long trip from Nigeria to the South American nation through Turkey. The team had another training session on Tuesday, as focus gradually shifts to a friendly match against the U20 team of Colombia which has been scheduled for the Tristan Suarez Stadium in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, 16 May at 4pm Argentina time (8pm Nigeria time). Colombia, who play in Group C of the FIFA U20 World Cup alongside African champions Senegal, Japan and Israel, will seek the opportunity to have an idea of what to expect against the Cub Lions of the Teranga when both teams clash in La Plata on Saturday, 27 May. Incidentally, Nigeria will also be utilising the friendly with Colombia to have an idea of what to expect when they take on another South American team, Brazil also in La Plata on the same day, 27 May. In fact, the Nigeria/Brazil match comes up just before the Senegal/Colombia clash inside the same arena. Bosso and wards will fly from Buenos Aires to Mendoza – venue of Nigeria’s first two matches against the Dominican Republic and Italy – on Wednesday, 17 May

Full doping control, medical services at ninth Okpekpe road race

Organisers of the gold label Okpekpe international 10km road race say there will be in-competition doping tests on Saturday May 27,2023 during the ninth edition of the historic event in Okpkekpe, Edo state. Race Director, Zack Amodu reveals that provisions have not only been made for a full doping control for the event but also full medical services will be available at the venue. ‘In line with World Athletics anti-doping rules, in-competition tests will be conducted for selected athletes during the race. This will be done to preserve the integrity of performances achieved at the event which is a World Athletics Gold Label race,’ said Amodu. A minimum of eight athletes will be subjected to the tests that will be conducted in conformity with the provisions of the international standard for testing and investigations. ‘As a World Athletics Gold Label race, four men and four women will undergo the tests including 4 with EPO analysis. The testing kits needed for effective anti-doping have arrived. We have a doping station built in Okpekpe for the race. Only the elite athletes will however undergo the tests. Athletes who are required to take prohibited substances or methods written in the Prohibited List to treat an illness must apply for TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemptions).’ Amodu also assures of full medical services before, during and after the race. ‘The organisers have fully complied with World Athletics Competition Medical Guidelines in the organisation of the medical services provided to participants since the inaugural edition of the race and this year’s event will not be different.’ The race director is confident of another clean and hitch-free race on May 27. ‘As you can see, we are fully ready for the race. It is a 10 kilometre road race over hills and tarred roads, starting from Apana Road and ending in Okpekpe town.’ The Okpekpe international 10km road race is the first in Nigeria to have its race course measured by a World Athletics certified course measurer and the first in West Africa to be granted a label status.