Women weightlifters from Iran will be competing internationally for the first time in the near future, the president of Iranian Weightlifting Federation Ali Moradi said on Thursday.
Iran has one of the world’s strongest weightlifting cultures and its men have won seven Olympic gold medals this century.
“We have created the Iran Weightlifting Federation Women’s Committee. We have talented female athletes who have high capacity like men athletes. I hope by wearing special apparel for Muslim athletes they will be able to take part in international championships in the near future,” Moradi said.
Attila Adamfi, director general of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), said: “This is good news, and it’s very significant in Iran, where weightlifting is at the highest level for men, and zero level for women,” Reuters reported.
Moradi has invited the US to Iran for the Fajr Cup, an international invitation competition for men, in Ahvaz in March. He has also asked the US to send a women’s delegation.
The US men’s team will compete in Ahvaz, and the Americans are also planning to send female lifters, coaches and technical officials. The American women will train Iranian coaches and technical officials. A friendly women’s international between Iran and the US may take place.
“Everything is agreed in principle and we are working on the details,” said Phil Andrews, chief executive of the US Weightlifting. “We have always enjoyed a very good relationship with the Iranian Weightlifting Federation. Anything we can do to help, we are more than willing to do”.
Women were barred from weightlifting until 1983. After a change to the IWF’s rules, women began competing at the World Championships from 1987 and at the Olympic Games from 2000.
