19 September 2025 - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board (EB) has approved updated weightlifting categories for the LA28 Olympic Games, endorsed a revised sports programme development process for Brisbane 2032, and received progress updates on preparations for upcoming editions of the Olympic Games, as well as the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
LA28
Meeting in Milan ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, the IOC EB approved the addition of two new weightlifting bodyweight categories – one men’s and one women’s – without increasing the overall athlete quota. The sport will now feature six categories per gender within the existing 120-athlete allocation. This adjustment is aimed at reducing incentives for extreme weight reduction, thereby supporting athlete health, and better aligning with the new set of bodyweight categories in place for the sport’s junior and senior elite competitions. The addition does not affect the number of competition days, as the two new categories will be incorporated within the existing sessions and calendar.
In addition to this decision, Nicole Hoevertsz, Chair of the IOC’s LA28 Coordination Commission, presented a series of updates on Games planning. She highlighted the successful three-years-to-go milestone celebrated on 14 July, during which LA28 unveiled the sports competition schedule and announced that the PlayLA youth sports programme has now surpassed one million enrolments. She also detailed the recent confirmation of competition venues for mountain biking and diving, and the publication of LA28’s Impact and Sustainability Plan, while noting that earlier this week LA28 announced when tickets and hospitality packages will go on sale.
Hoevertsz emphasised the growing momentum of stakeholder engagement, pointing to productive exchanges at the Press Plus Agencies Meeting, the World Broadcasters Briefing, and the second official “Open Days” for National Olympic and Paralympic Committees. These gatherings have strengthened collaboration with the global media, broadcasters and the wider Olympic Movement, helping to ensure alignment as operational planning accelerates.
BRISBANE 2032
Following its decision that the initial sports programme for Brisbane 2032 will be determined in 2026, the IOC EB recognised the benefits of the discipline review step in the sports programme development, introduced for LA28, and thus approved the inclusion of the same step for Brisbane 2032. It also decided that the full sports programme, with initial sports, disciplines and any additional sports that might be proposed by the Organising Committee, will be finalised together as a single package next year.
This approach enables a more inclusive review, delivers earlier clarity for the venue master plan, and opens opportunities to optimise planning with the potential for shared use of venues and fields of play.
DAKAR 2026 YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES
A report was also provided to the IOC EB on the next YOG. It noted that work is advancing steadily ahead of the “One Year to Go” milestone on 31 October this year. A major focus on infrastructure development at key sites includes the Complexe Tour de l'Oeuf - set to host swimming, 3x3 basketball, breaking, baseball5 and skateboarding, and the Complexe Iba Mar Diop, staging athletics and rugby sevens, with both scheduled for completion in March 2026. At the Equestrian Centre, weekly monitoring continues, with essential elements due to be completed by November 2025 for the International Federation event, and full delivery by April 2026. Meanwhile, the Youth Olympic Village, including its sports facilities, is planned to be fully delivered by May 2026.
In October and November this year, a series of operational and engagement activities will highlight the “One Year to Go” milestone. Central to these will be
