Dr. Astrit Hasani, at just 39 years old, became the youngest president of a continental federation in Europe after being elected in April as head of the European Weightlifting Federation (EWF). In his first 100 days in office, Hasani has already made his mark by pushing through a series of reforms to modernize the sport, combat doping, and raise the standard of coaches across the continent.
The new president, who already had a decade of experience on the EWF executive board as treasurer, was recognized for his role as executive director of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Electoral Congress in Tirana in 2022, which earned him the ‘Grand Excellence Award’ from ‘Albanian Excellence’. His family’s history in sport is remarkable: his father, Besim Hasani, was president of the Kosovo Olympic Committee for 25 years and was awarded the Olympic Order.
Fight against doping and reforms in European records
One of Hasani’s first steps has been to tighten anti-doping policy. Since the EWF Extraordinary Congress held in Madrid last week, it has been approved that the U15 and U23 categories will no longer count towards European records, as they are not fully subject to anti-doping controls. Only marks achieved in the Youth, Junior, and Senior categories, under the supervision of the International Testing Agency (ITA), will be officially recognized.
Hasani defended this measure by stating: “Fairness cannot be compromised. If we want a clean sport, we have to start from the bottom up.” This decision was supported by more than two-thirds of the delegates present in Madrid.
Sport above politics and equal access
The EWF president has made it clear that he will not tolerate discrimination in sport. If a host country denies visas to athletes or coaches, the organizers will have to bear the cost of the flights or risk losing the opportunity to host future competitions. “Everyone deserves equal treatment. We cannot allow politics to divide sport,” Hasani stressed in this regard.
In these first few months, Hasani has also had the support of international figures such as the president of the International Judo Federation, Marius Vizer, and was invited to the recent World Judo Championships in Budapest, where he strengthened ties with other sports leaders.
Elite training and international collaboration
Among the most notable developments, Hasani has promoted the creation of more EWF training campuses throughout Europe. For the first time, legendary Chinese national coach Yong Xie was invited to lead sessions at the youth campus in Madrid, an initiative that has been very well received by athletes and coaches across the continent.
“Europe must learn from the best to compete with the best. Bringing in coach Yong Xie is just the beginning,” said Hasani, who is committed to international exchange to raise the level of European weightlifting.
Internal modernization and new governance standards
Modernization has also reached the federation’s image and internal management. Summer uniforms have been introduced for technical officials, and participation in commissions and committees has been opened to all members, eliminating the exclusivity of the executive board. In addition, a more transparent and inclusive governance model has been approved, with broad support at the Madrid Congress.
Hasani was awarded the ‘EWF Gold Star’ in 2024 and has been appointed advisor on international relations by the Kosovo Olympic Committee this year. His academic background includes degrees from the University of Cambridge and a doctorate from the University of Warsaw.
Transformative leadership in European sport
Dr. Astrit Hasani is not only the youngest president of a continental federation in Europe, but he is also proving to be one of the most innovative and determined leaders in European sport today. “Clean sport, top-level coaches, and equal access: that’s how you build the future.”
