Puentevella to argue weightlifting’s retention

MANILA, Philippines — Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella will fly from Los Angeles to Doha to attend the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) constitutional reform congress on Aug. 29-30, determined to argue for the sport’s retention in the Olympic calendar.

Puentevella was at ringside for the Yordenis Ugas-Manny Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas last weekend then motored to Los Angeles with the Filipino team. He is scheduled to leave Los Angeles for Doha tomorrow and after attending the congress, will return to Manila.

“We want to keep weightlifting in the Olympics,” said Puentevella. “Now that we’ve just won our first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, we know we can do it again in Paris in 2024. Hidilyn (Diaz) will compete in the World Championships in Peru in November then the SEA and Asian Games next year. If she feels her body is still up to it, she’ll go for her fifth Olympics in Paris. I’ve told Hidilyn when she retires, I’ll retire, too. But she’s a fighter. She wants to bring more honor and glory to our country. Hidilyn will be 33 in 2024. If she continues to train as hard as she did for Tokyo, I think she can retain her Olympic title.”

Puentevella said he thought Diaz would retire after taking the silver at the 2016 Rio Games. “It was her third Olympics and she brought back the silver medal,” he said. “I told her she has already made history but she was determined to go for gold. About 20 minutes before her final lift in Tokyo, we huddled and prayed together. I felt something in the air that convinced me she would win, like it was a gift from God.”

In many ways Diaz is like Pacquiao, said Puentevella. “I don’t know what Manny will decide, if he’ll continue fighting or not,” he said. “But win or lose, we’re proud of him. He’s still our hero. Hidilyn doesn’t like to lose and she competes with all her heart. They’re so much alike.”

Puentevella said as former Asian president, he’ll voice the sentiments of the region in batting to keep weightlifting in the Olympic calendar. In Rio, the IOC allowed 260 lifters but in Tokyo, it was reduced to 196. In Paris, it will be further dropped to 120. The IOC has cracked down on the IWF for widespread corruption and doping tolerance. Hungarian Tamas Ajan served as IWF president from 2000 to 2020, finally resigning his post under pressure. Over the past decade, more than 600 lifters tested positive for illegal drugs and in the Olympics from 2008 to 2012, there were 34 medalists who were found in violation. In Tokyo, the IOC banned Romania, Thailand, Egypt and Malaysia from competing in weightlifting due to their drug history. And six countries, including Vietnam and Kazakhstan, were permitted to enter only one male and one female in the sport as a penalty for drug use.

“Asia is united,” said Puentevella. “Europe has its own agenda along with the Americas. The IOC is demanding reforms from the IWF and we in Asia support the cleanup. We can’t allow the sport that gave our country our first Olympic gold medal to be excluded from the Olympics.”