The EWF Executive Board decided to cancel the 2026 Weightlifting Championships scheduled to take place in Poland. Credit: CorrieMiracle, Pixabay.
Poland has lost the right to host the 2026 European Junior & Under-23 Weightlifting Championships after declining to guarantee visa access for Russian and Belarusian athletes, forcing organisers to relocate the event to Albania.
The decision was confirmed by the European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) on December 31, 2025, highlighting an escalating conflict between international sports bodies and national governments over Russia’s participation in European sport.
In an official statement, the EWF said the championships could not remain in Poland because the host country “failed to provide the required guarantees for visa access for athletes from Russia and Belarus.” (EWF statement). ‘Once again, the EWF reaffirmed its firm and consistent position that sport must remain above politics. The Federation stands for inclusion, equal opportunity, and unity through sport, and does not accept discrimination based on political or geopolitical circumstances, especially at a time when such tensions are on the rise across the world.’
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Under current EWF regulations, athletes from Russia and Belarus are permitted to compete only as Individual Neutral Athletes, without flags, anthems or national symbols, provided they meet strict eligibility conditions.
However, Polish authorities declined to confirm that visas would be issued even under neutral status, leaving the federation with no practical way to stage the competition as planned.
Weightlifting championships moved to Albania in October 2026
The EWF confirmed that Albania will now host the European Junior & U23 Championships in October 2026, with dates adjusted following the relocation.
According to the federation, the move ensures that all eligible athletes can participate under EWF rules, avoiding last-minute exclusions that could undermine competitive fairness.
Poland has consistently taken a hard line on Russian and Belarusian involvement in sport since the invasion of Ukraine.
In 2023, the country cancelled a women’s fencing World Cup after rejecting conditions that would have allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under neutral status.
More recently, Polish swimming authorities barred athletes from those countries from a European competition in Lublin, despite international federation approval.
The EWF is expected to finalise logistical details with Albanian organisers in early 2026.
View all news from Poland.