BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) " The 2017 weightlifting world championships have been moved to Anaheim, California, after the Malaysian city of Penang pulled out of hosting the event. The International Weightlifting Federation said Wednesday it also awarded the 2019 worlds to Pattaya in Thailand. IWF president Tamas Ajan said the federation was grateful that "Anaheim stepped in to host the world's biggest weightlifting competition of 2017." The IWF held two days of meetings in Penang, where congress delegates "received an inclusive report praising the success of weightlifting at the Olympic Games." The IWF said it accepted an apology on behalf of the Iranian Weightlifting Federation, its lifter Behdad Salimi and his coach for their behavior in Rio.

Source: New Zealand Herald October 19, 2016 10:41 UTC