On March 18, 2025, an official meeting took place in Istanbul between the host of the 2027 European Games, the Türkiye Olympic Committee, and the Türkiye Weightlifting Federation on one side, and representatives from the European Olympic Committees, and the European Weightlifting Federation on the other side.
Present at this significant meeting were the Sports Director of the Türkiye Olympic Committee Yusuf Erdem Dogan along with his team, representatives from the Turkish Weightlifting Federation, specifically Kagan Sahin and Ali Buyukasar, EOC Sports Director Peter Brull, as well as EWF President Antonio Conflitti and EWF General Secretary Milan Mihajlovic.
The discussion focused on technical and organizational preparations for the weightlifting event at the 2027 European Games, highlighting the importance of collaboration and clear communication between all involved parties. Key topics included logistical planning, event scheduling, and ensuring optimal conditions for athletes and officials.
Participants also conducted a site inspection at the proposed venue, the Yenikapi Eurasia Exhibition and Art Center, located at Yenikapi Beach in the Fatih district of Istanbul. This venue was identified as the sports facility for the weightlifting event. After careful evaluation, it was unanimously concluded that the venue meets all technical, logistical, and infrastructural requirements necessary to host such an important and prestigious event.
Site verification was a prerequisite, a necessary step before the host NOC/LOC and EWF would sign a contract, which would follow.
Such an important activity signals a significant step forward in event preparation and demonstrates that the weightlifting competition at the European Games is secured.
Weightlifting’s inclusion in the 2027 European Games is an important victory for the sport, bringing to a close actions that began before 2015 to offer European athletes opportunities to compete at the highest continental level.