TEHRAN – Ali Moradi of Iran is among eleven candidates who have been cleared to stand for the Presidency of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), which will hold arguably the most important elections in its history next month.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) stressed the importance of the elections, scheduled for June 25-26 in Tirana, Albania, when it sent another warning letter to the IWF.

Yousef Al-Mana (Qatar), Mohamed Jalood (individual application), Jinqiang Zhou (China), Antonio Urso (Italy), Tom Liaw (Singapore), Karoliina Lundahl (Finland), Ursula Papandrea, Paula Aranda. (The U.S.), Pyrros Dimas (Greece), Ali Moradi (Iran) and Zhanat Tussupbekov (Kazakhstan) are candidates for the IWF Presidency.

Many candidates are standing for multiple positions, and there are 16 for general secretary/treasurer, 33 for vice-president and 46 for a seat on the Board.

Candidates aged 70 or over are ineligible, but three over-age Board members can be voted in by the Congress.

The Board will eventually comprise a President, general-secretary/treasurer, five vice-presidents, 10 elected Board members, five continental federation Presidents, and three members of the Athletes' Commission - whose elections will be held in November.