Quick News Update, so we are all on the same page.
Video Evidence to Avoid Judging Errors (via):
Remember when Simplice Ribouem (Australia) was denied a gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games because of a judging error? Of course that was just one of the major errors in recent times
Well, the IWF reacted and starting with the 2014 Youth World Championships in Lima, Peru, it will introduce 3 cameras that will provide views from the judges’ line of sight.
North Korea:
North Korea expressed interest in holding international weightlifting competitions on their soil. (via)
While they want to host senior world championships, this is not realistic said Attila Adamfi, director general of the I.W.F. There are still too many obstacles for them to overcome.
At the 2013 Asian Interclub Cup where Om Yun Chol did his 169kg C&J World Record we have seen that they surely can fill an arena (by what means remains unclear though 🙂 ).
“The Great Leader likes all kinds of sports, and especially weightlifting,” said a team official of the country’s dictator, Kim Jong-un. (via)
“The Leader said our weightlifting was very strong, and he enjoyed it,” said Kim. “We have about 900 weightlifters, very good coaches, very good facilities.”
Video Evidence: full approval! I hope the realization is convenient for everybody and simple to use without adding more rule muddle/confusion.
North Korea: I hope it won’t come so far and I can’t imagine the IWF seriously considering this option. On the other hand: Big compliment on North Koreas achievements in weightlifting. Assuming the numbers are correct, 900 weighlifters are less than I would have expected. Where are your excuses, USA? (Sorry, couldn’t resist :D)
Something I wonder is if North Korea complies with the WADA.
I’m sure the North Korean Weightlifting Federation complies… but the border patrols may not LOL. WADA is free to do random drug screening anytime they like provided the agent makes it to the training camp, collects samples, and brings them back all the while avoiding ending up in labor camp or being turned into Swiss cheese. Volunteers?
So how will this be any different than the “jury”? Don’t they have the power to instantly review and (if needed) reverse the judges decisions?
Currently the jury doesn’t have access to replayed footage of the lifts. They make decisions based on what they saw in real time, the same as the referees.
I assume that this introduction of video technology will now give the jury the power to replay the lift and make their decision based on that, rather than relying on what they saw in real time.