International Weightlifting Federation Joins Global Esports Federation

International Weightlifting Federation joins Global Esports Federation IAFC. Image credit: IWF/GEF

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) announced this week that it has been granted membership in the Global Esports Federation.

IWF Executive Board Member and President of the Pan-American Weightlifting Federation José Quiñones and IWF CEO Achilleas Tsogas will represent the weightlifting federation in the GEF working group of International Federations (IFAC).

“This is really an exciting new path for our International Federation. In 2025, we celebrate our 120 years, but our aim is to remain always innovative and ‘young’,” said IWF President Mohammed Jalood. “The membership to the GEF is a privileged platform to present our Sport in another dimension, thus generating and motivating more fans around the globe. The possibilities offered by new technologies are already re-shaping the way we are practicing sport, so let’s write, together, another page in our brilliant history! We are also happy to see that the IOC is also embracing these new developments.” 

The IWF joins other international federations in the IAFC including the World Karate Federation, Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (World Pentathlon), and the International Canoe Federation, among others.

“I would like to warmly welcome the IWF into the Global Esports Family. We are greatly honoured to have IWF as a Member of the GEF,” said GEF CEO Chris Chan, in a release. “We truly believe that the input and support of the IWF to this focus group will be instrumental.” 

The GEF will host its annual championship, the Global Esports Games 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November. The annual championship gathers the best players from national federations throughout the world to compete in a number of different disciplines.

The GEF has deep ties to the Saudi Arabian government—most notably with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Sport, President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee, president of the Saudi Esports Federation, VP of Global Esports Federation, and International Esports Federation (IESF) President HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal (HRH Prince Faisal).

The GEF will no doubt have input into the first Esports Olympic Games in 2025—Saudi Arabia signed a 12-year deal with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in July to host these events within the country for more than a decade.