Russia to host first Olympic federation world event since Ukraine invasion

What the report says

The International Weightlifting Federation has chosen Moscow to host the 2030 World Weightlifting Championships, making it the first Olympic sports federation to award a global event to Russia since the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to BBC Sport. The decision was announced on Sunday alongside host cities for three other world championships at junior and youth level, with Ahmedabad in India selected for the 2029 senior event.

BBC Sport reported that the move follows the IWF’s earlier decision, taken four months ago, to restore eligibility for Russian athletes in its competitions. It also comes after the International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee in July, a step that could allow Russian athletes to compete under their own team at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, though the IOC said no final ruling had been made on flags, colours or anthems.

The article notes that no world championships in an Olympic sport have been held in Russia since the war began. Moscow last hosted the World Weightlifting Championships in 1983, and the Russian federation described the award as a major return for top-level sport in the country. The championships are also expected to serve as a qualifying event for the 2032 Brisbane Games. BBC Sport added that Ukraine has challenged the IOC’s suspension decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, highlighting that the issue remains politically sensitive in international sport.