The entire executive board of the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (TAWA) have announced their resignations.
Their resignation letter references claims made by the recent German TV documentary, which featured an undercover recording of Thai weightlifter Siripuch Gulnoi. The somewhat confusing letter appears to attempt to exonerate Gulnoi by claiming she was misled by the documentary makers.
The letter finishes by saying:
Code of ethics as well as good governance in sport are a principle upheld as usual by TAWA Executive Board. What matters most of us how to protect this national sport with our beloved country – Thailand; therefore, Members of the TAWA Executive Board all agree with full accountability to resign effective from 30th January 2020.
Thai weightlifting has been hit by a number of doping scandals in recent years, including anti-doping violations by teenage athletes. Thailand withdrew all of their athletes from the 2019 World Championships and all other international competitions until the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, pending a decision that could see it receive a national suspension for two years.
