Gives the World Cup to Russia: "I'm shocked"

The announcement came during the ongoing Congress of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) in China.

- I think it is extremely worrying, says Helene Johage.

- The war is going on in Ukraine. It has not ended, continues Johage, who follows the congress digitally from Sweden.

According to the AFP news agency, weightlifting is the first Olympic sport to award Russia a global championship since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

- I usually quote the old Olympic slogan: "During the Olympics all wars cease", but it doesn't work like that anymore in the world. Unfortunately, it is much more serious than that. We have active people from Ukraine who are out on the battlefield, who join in, says Johage.

- I don't think you can suddenly let go of this. I'm actually a bit shocked, she continues.

This summer, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics regardless of their political stance.

The IOC recommended all special confederations to relax the restrictions, but the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOC) and the Swedish Sports Confederation (RF) have strongly questioned the guideline.

- We follow the RF's and SOK's line, says Helene Johage.

After the IOC announcement, the IWF dropped all restrictions on weightlifters from both countries. Earlier in the year, young people and juniors had been allowed into the heat.

Johage states that Sweden has received an offer to organize the weightlifting European Championship, but the federation has declined on the grounds that Russians are allowed to compete.

- We cannot justify that we should apply for visas for Russian lifters, says Helene Johage.

She is particularly concerned about the Swedish talent Joen Vikingsson Sjöblom, who is part of the SOK's top and talent program. A major goal is for the 23-year-old to reach the Olympics in the future - for example in 2032.

- Then we will end up in a foxhole. This would require him to go to Moscow in 2030 and compete, while the war might continue. I don't dare think about that situation, says Helene Johage.

In both the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, individual athletes from Russia and Belarus were allowed to compete under neutral flags. No teams allowed.