Moscow will host the 2030 World Weightlifting Championships, marking a significant step in Russia’s return to major international sporting events, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) announced on Sunday.
The decision makes the IWF the first Olympic sports federation to award Russia hosting rights for a major world championship since the country launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. No world championships in an Olympic sport have taken place in Russia since the conflict began.
In its announcement, the IWF confirmed that Ahmedabad, India, will host the 2029 senior World Weightlifting Championships, while Moscow will stage the 2030 edition. The federation also awarded its 2028 youth championships to Prishtina, Kosovo, and its junior championships to Caracas, Venezuela.
IWF General Secretary José Quiñones welcomed the successful bids, expressing confidence that the selected countries would deliver successful competitions.
Meanwhile, Russian Weightlifting Federation President Aleksandr Vinokurov thanked the international governing body for its confidence. He said Russia possessed the experience, infrastructure and organisational capabilities required to stage major sporting events.
The 2030 championships will also serve as a qualifying event for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, Australia.
The announcement follows a July decision by the International Olympic Committee to provisionally lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, potentially opening pathways for Russian athletes to return to international competition.
However, Russia’s sporting comeback remains contentious because of the war in Ukraine and the country’s history of state-backed doping allegations. Ukraine has challenged the IOC’s decision, keeping the issue politically sensitive.
