The Islamic Solidarity Games, that were held in Riyadh, welcomed two very special guests on Monday: Petra Sörling, President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), and Boris van der Vorst, outgoing President of World Boxing. Both leaders attended the event after receiving an invitation from Dr Astrit Hasani, President of the European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) and Vice-President of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF).

The representatives of the three organisations maintain a close relationship with the international Olympic ecosystem, something that became evident when the two International Federation Presidents held separate meetings with IWF President Mohammed Jalood, as well as with Vice-Presidents Mohammed Al-Harbi, Yousef Al Mana and Khaled Mehalhel.

Intensity, focus and technical work

During their visit, Sörling and van der Vorst toured the warm-up area, where they observed firsthand the final moments of preparation of the lifters before stepping onto the competition platform. The visit offered a direct look at the intensity, focus and technical work that define the sport.

Dr Astrit Hasani highlighted the importance of having both leaders at the event: “It was undoubtedly a proud moment to showcase the spirit and dedication behind the sport. I believe it is important to express our appreciation to the ITTF and World Boxing Presidents for their presence at our event. It was a remarkable and truly unexpected honour. Their participation added significant value to the occasion and stands as a testament to the growing recognition and importance of our competitions.”

The institutional visit strengthened ties between federations and underscored the role of the Islamic Solidarity Games as an international meeting point for sports leaders and representatives of the Olympic movement.