Eligibility Determination Panel for IWF

Update: 21 November 2021

The Eligibility Determination Panel has issued a statement following the IWF’s inaccurate communications regarding the EDP report

The Eligibility Determination Panel (EDP) would like to publish a correction to a significant inaccuracy in the IWF’s statement published recently on their website regarding the EDP’s determinations, which claimed the final list of eligible and ineligible candidates was not delivered to the IWF by the deadline of 19th November 2021.

The EDP, operated independently by Sport Resolutions, has considered the candidacies of individuals put forward for election to the IWF posts in accordance with its Terms of Reference, and its determinations were communicated to the candidates and the IWF on Friday 19th November 2021 in accordance with its Terms of Reference.

Further to its issuance, the IWF sought clarification and/or further information on a small number of administrative matters, which were promptly provided to it. Should any further questions be put to it by the IWF, the EDP will address them.

The EDP expects the IWF to fulfil its duty by implementing the EDP’s decisions and publishing an unredacted version of the EDP’s determinations as set out both in the EDP’s Terms of Reference and in the IWF Constitution.

The EDP has performed its function entirely independently of the IWF, and will not be subject to any interference by IWF bodies or candidates.

Update: 12 October 2021

IWF Eligibility and Determination Panel has re-commenced its work

The Eligibility and Determination Panel (EDP) of the IWF has re-commenced its work following the approval of the new IWF Constitution in August 2021. The EDP members, in the same composition as previously appointed by Sport Resolutions, will determine candidates’ eligibility to stand in the December 2021 Elections in accordance with the criteria as set out in the new Constitution. Sport Resolutions will act as the secretariat to the EDP during the course of its work. The EDP’s updated Terms of Reference can be accessed via the related-links tab on the right-hand side.

The EDP will perform its function entirely independently of the IWF, and will not be tasked with assessing the legality, validity or enforceability of the criteria, nor that of any of the IWF rules, Constitution or By-laws.

The EDC Rules published by the IWF can be seen here.

Update: 8 March 2021

The EDP notes the postponement of the electoral and constitutional congresses and the corresponding timetable published by the IWF. As a result, the EDP has adjourned its work, however remains willing and ready to resume its tasks at any time.

Update: 24 February 2021

Sport Resolutions (SR) has independently appointed the members of the Eligibility Determination Panel (EDP) which will undertake the eligibility determination of candidates for election to the IWF Board and committees in respect of the March 2021 elections.

The Panel is constituted of the following individuals:

HH Phillip Sycamore CBE (GB)
Dr Tanja Haug (GER)
The Honourable Yves Fortier QC (CAN)
Susan Ahern (IRL)
Dr Thomas H. Murray (USA)

The EDP members were drawn from SR’s Panel of Arbitrators at its entire discretion, and were required to complete a declaration of independence prior to any eligibility assessment being undertaken and keep that position under review throughout the process.

The EDP’s Terms of Reference can be accessed via the related documents tab on the right-hand side.

His Honour Phillip Sycamore CBE is a retired judge, most recently sitting as Deputy Vice-President of Tribunals, President (First-tier Tribunal Health, Education and Social Care Chamber), a Deputy High Court Judge and as a Senior Judicial Appointments Commissioner. He previously chaired the (then) Football League Arbitration Tribunal. His current roles include as a member of the Queens Counsel Selection Panel and of the General Dental Council's Statutory Panellists Assurance Committee.

Dr Tanja Haug is a licensed attorney and has a doctorate in sports science. She specialises in sports law, and is a member of the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal and the Appointment Panel of the German Court of Arbitration for Sports, to which she has served as arbitrator since 2008, among other bodies. For several years, Tanja was legal advisor and head of the anti-doping department of the German Athletics Federation, and Chair of the federation’s disciplinary committee. Most recently, she was a member of the International Biathlon Union External Review Commission.

The Honourable Yves Fortier QC is a well-known international arbitrator. He has served as chairman, sole arbitrator and co-arbitrator on numerous Canadian and international arbitral tribunals, including CAS and SDRCC panels. Yves previously served as Canada’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, as well as Canada’s Representative on the Security Council of the UN. He was President of the Council in 1989. Yves has also been a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, President of the Canadian Bar Association, President of the LCIA, and Chairman of the Sanctions Committee of the World Bank.

Susan Ahern is a practising barrister specialising in regulation and sports law. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and is a member of the CAS Anti-Doping Panel, ICSID Conciliator Panel and the Professional Conduct Committees of a number of Irish regulatory bodies. Susan was the Lead Drafter on the 2020 World Anti-Doping Agency International Standard for Testing & Investigations, was previously Head of Legal and Legislative Affairs at World Rugby, where she established the World Rugby Integrity Unit and the first Anti-Corruption Programme for the Rugby World Cup.

Dr. Tom Murray is the President Emeritus of the Hastings Center, an interdisciplinary research institute which addresses social and ethical issues in health care, science, and technology. He serves on many editorial boards and has been president of the Society for Health and Human Values and of the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities. Dr. Murray is a member of the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal since 2017. Prior to that he served as Chair of the Ethical Issues Review Panel for WADA between 2004 – 2015 and on the Independent Ethics Board, IAAF (now World Athletics), 2014-2020. Dr. Murray is the author or editor of fourteen books and more than 300 other publications. His most recent book is Good Sport: Why Our Games Matter — and How Doping Undermines Them, published in 2018.

Update: 19 February 2021

Sport Resolutions to operate the Eligibility Determination Panel which will undertake the eligibility determination of candidates for election to the IWF Board and committees in respect of the March 2021 elections

We are delighted to announce that Sport Resolutions will be operating the Eligibility Determination Panel (EDP) commissioned by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF).

The EDP will:

undertake the eligibility determination of candidates for election to the IWF Board and committees in respect of the March 2021 elections
operate pursuant to and in accordance with part C of the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission Interim Rules which have been amended by the IWF Executive Board to provide it with the necessary jurisdiction to act in lieu of the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission

Sport Resolutions (SR) will:

independently be appointing the members of the EDP - which will constitute up to 5 individuals - drawn from SR’s Panel of Arbitrators at its entire discretion. Members will be required to complete a declaration of independence prior to any eligibility assessment being undertaken and keep that position under review throughout the process.
act as Secretariat to the EDP in the course of this appointment.

For future updates including the EDP’s composition and terms of reference please follow this page.

Notes to editor

On 12th February 2021, the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission unanimously decided to request the IWF Executive Board to fully delegate the functions of the EDP to an independent panel to be appointed by Sport Resolutions. The Ethics and Disciplinary Commission also recommended amendment of the EDC Rules accordingly.

Further to recommendations made by the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission, the IWF Executive Board has approved some changes to the Interim Rules. These provide the necessary jurisdiction for the EDP to fulfil its function, and provide clarification regarding the process including timelines for the EDP’s eligibility determination process