Kazakhstan Emerges as Leading Contender for 2028 Olympic Preliminary Competition Hosting Role
The city of Los Angeles is gearing up for its third Olympic Games, set to take place in 2028. Over 15,000 athletes are expected to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, with weightlifting being one of the many sports on the programme.
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President, Mohammed Hasan Jalood, recently met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan in Astana to discuss the potential of Kazakhstan hosting the licensing qualifying tournament for weightlifting in the 2028 Olympic Games.
Weightlifting is of paramount importance for Kazakhstan, according to President Tokayev, and the country has made significant strides in the sport. Astana and Almaty have the potential to create a regional weightlifting hub for Central Asian countries, as suggested by Mohamed Yousef Al Mana, President of the Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF).
President Tokayev thanked Mr. Al Mana for his contribution to strengthening cooperation and developing weightlifting in Kazakhstan. He also noted the high level of the Kazakh school of weightlifting.
While the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles is a likely venue for the weightlifting competition at the 2028 Olympics, the specific hosts for the licensing qualifying tournament have not been publicly announced. Such qualifying events are generally organized separately by the IWF and may be hosted in various international locations rather than within the Olympic host region itself.
Los Angeles has a rich history with the Olympic Games, having previously hosted the event in 1932 and 1984. The International Olympic Committee session in Lima in September 2017 selected Los Angeles as the host for the 2028 Olympic Games.
This will mark Los Angeles' debut as host of the Paralympic Games. The organizing committee LA28 has commercial partnerships and naming rights deals for various venues, but these are not directly linked to weightlifting.
Mohammed Hasan Jalood, who has been the President of the IWF since 2022, stated that Kazakhstan is a likely candidate to host the licensing qualifying tournament for weightlifting in the 2028 Olympic Games. The meeting between Jalood and President Tokayev took place on Jan. 17 in Astana.
As the preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles continue, the weightlifting community eagerly awaits the announcement of the hosts for the licensing qualifying tournament.
