History

At the Olympic Congress 1948 in London, the possibility of establishing Continental Federations was discussed for the first time by Mr. Dietrich Wortmann, Vice President of the World Federation since 1932.

His proposal was enjoying the support of delegates from 22 countries and waiting for further elaboration at the following meetings. He suggest that should be a representative in each continent who would be officially responsible for holding all international meetings in that continent, supervising any international matters in his own district, and sending in reports and records to the Fédération Internationale Haltérophile.

Ten years after this proposal in 1958 by the establishment of the Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) in Tokyo and regulated the championships by own.

Black and white photograph of a featherweight snatch, the scoreboard behind the lifter

Black and white photograph of a lifter in a deep split with the bar on his shoulders

The Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) stands as a non-profit organization, uniting 45 affiliated National Federations spanning across all Asian countries.

In its pivotal role, the AWF serves as the official governing body for the sport of weightlifting in Asia.

The organization’s mandate extends to the meticulous organization of competitions, including prestigious events like the Asian Weightlifting Championships.

In carrying out its responsibilities, the AWF adheres closely to the IWF Constitution and By-Laws, as well as the IWF Technical and Competition Rules & Regulations, and the IWF Anti-Doping Policy.

Functioning within the framework provided by the IWF, the AWF operates with a commitment to the regulations pertaining to Continental and Regional Federations. Notably, the AWF enjoys recognition from both the IWF and the Olympic Council of Asia (“OCA”) as the exclusive controlling authority for Asian weightlifting, solidifying its status as a key player in the regional and international weightlifting landscape.