Astrit Hasani has described his election as president of the European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) as one of the most important days for Kosovo.
Hasani was elected president of the European Federation at the Electoral Congress in Chisinau, Moldova on Friday. He received 24 votes. Hasani was among the six candidates for President and received enough votes to lead this European federation. The current EWF President, Antonio Conflitti, was also a candidate.
“A very important day, not only for me but for the entire Republic of Kosovo. For all those athletes, for sports people. After achieving independence, the admission of the Kosovo Olympic Committee to the International Olympic Committee, the day came for a Kosovar, an Albanian, to be president of the European Federation, to lead the European Weightlifting Federation, an Olympic sport since 1896, since day one,” Hasani told KOHĖN.
Weightlifting is not considered a developed sport in Kosovo. Even Hasani admits that there is a lot of work to be done. But he believes that he will achieve this with the help of his collaborators.
He says that the election as EWF president would not have been possible without the help of the Kosovo Olympic Committee, led by Ismet Krasniqi, and the Albanian Olympic Committee, led by Fidel Ylli. He also mentioned the heads of state of Kosovo and Albania, who he emphasizes have done a great job.
“Historic achievement. Dr. Astrit Hasani is elected President of the European Weightlifting Federation. He becomes the first Albanian president of a European Federation,” the Kosovo Olympic Committee wrote.
Hasani is the president of the Kosovo Weightlifting Federation, and has also been treasurer and member of the Executive Board of the European Weightlifting Federation since 2016. He is also the KOK’s advisor for international relations.
Astrit Hasani is the son of Besim Hasani, who has been the chairman of the Kosovo Olympic Committee for 25 years.
During Besim Hasani’s time as president, the KOC was accepted into the International Olympic Committee.
Besim Hasani took over the leadership of the country’s Olympic organization in 1996, a period that lasted until 2021, when Ismet Krasniqi won the race for president of the IOC.
Weightlifting in Kosovo is significantly less developed than in Albania. Kosovo is also expected to have an Olympic champion soon. It is about the weightlifter from Iran, Kianoush Rostami. He is equipped with a Kosovo passport. He is the winner of the gold medal in “Rio 2016”, while in “London 2012” he was decorated with a silver medal. He is the world champion in 2011 and 2014, and the world silver medalist in 2015.
“Now we have a big job ahead of us. It won’t be easy. But with Rostam’s arrival, we expect to win world medals,” Hasani declared.
The World Weightlifting Championships will be held from October 2 to 11 in Sunnfjord, Norway.