Russians win court ruling ahead of weightlifting elections

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Three Russian officials have won a court ruling to overturn being barred from this weekend’s International Weightlifting Federation elections. The Court of Arbitration for Sport says it upheld appeals by the men who were excluded last month by a panel vetting potential candidates. IWF board member Maxim Agapitov was among the three. CAS says the vetting panel did not have power to make disciplinary decisions against the Russians. The IWF’s election meeting opens Saturday in Albania. The elections are the IWF’s first since an investigation broadcast in January 2020 by German channel ARD accused the body of widespread corruption.