Tokyo 2020: Nigerian weightlifters, others to qualify virtually

Nigerian weightlifters who are yet to punch their Tokyo 2020 Olympic tickets because of the COVID-19 pandemic could be helped by the creation of two new events in May – one live and one virtual.

The live event, open to athletes unable to compete at their own Continental Championships, would run concurrently with the Junior World Championships in Saudi Arabia and the virtual one would be on May 31, the last day of qualifying for the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The changes to the calendar would also compel all athletes to provide their whereabouts information to anti-doping authorities from April 1, including those who are not entered for a competition because of postponements and travel restrictions.

Many weightlifters on the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) Olympic rankings lists have spent more than a year without fear of being tested.