International Weightlifting Federation chief Tamas Ajan resigns amid corruption probe

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International Weightlifting Federation president Tamas Ajan has stepped down from his role after 43 years of service in the organisation amid the ongoing investigation into alleged corruption.

Confirming the news, the IWF issued an official statement saying that its executive board has accepted the resignation of Ajan, who held high office since 1976.

"During an online meeting, the IWF Executive Board today approved the retirement of Tamas Ajan, accepting his resignation as IWF President after 43 years of service to weightlifting."
the official statement said.

IWF acting president Ursula Papandrea thanked Azan for his service of more than four decades to weightlifting and for his work in ensuring that an anti-doping programme meets the standards of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). 

“The IWF thanks Tamas Ajan for more than four decades of service to weightlifting, and most notably for his work in recent years to ensure an anti-doping programme which meets the standards of the IOC and WADA is in place.We can now begin the work of determining a fresh path towards achieving the full potential of our sport,"Papandrea said.

Notably, Ajan has served 24 years as general secretary of IWF and 20 years as the president of the weightlifting's governing body. Papandrea, on the other hand, is a former international lifter for the United States and the first woman to lead the IWF.

Ajan's resignation came at a time when independent investigation by Professor Richard McLaren is currently ongoing on the allegations made by ARD.

The allegations, which were made in a German TV documentary, were "primarily against" Ajan concerning financial irregularities, doping control distribution, corruption, doping sample manipulation and other issues.