The European Weightlifting Federation has announced that it will elect a new permanent president after its members took a vote of no confidence on current interim president Maxim Agapitov.

The vote took place at the organisation’s congress in Finland last month, with Agapitov receiving 29 votes of no confidence to four.

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This comes after Agapitov wrote an open letter on the EWF website which criticised weightlifting officials from Britain and Hungary, which caused board members to step down.

Agapitov, who was previously EWF’s vice president, stepped up to the role in June following the departure of Hasan Akkus (Turkey), who was charged with a doping offence.

While he was president of the Turkish Weightlifting Federation, Akkus was accused of attempting to avoid a ban and a fine after 17 athletes tested positive in 2012.

Antonio Conflitti (Moldova) has been the first person to announce his candidacy for the EWF presidency, and it is understood that at least two other executive board members will stand.

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Confitti stood for presidency at the last election but lost to Akkus.

Conflitti said: "If some member federations had believed in me more, before the last elections in April, all this could have been avoided.

"Now is not the time to make controversy, the EWF must restart with a new leader."

The election to select a new leader is scheduled for 18 December but, if Akkus is cleared of the charges, he would re-assume his role and the elections would be cancelled, although there have been no updated on the proceedings since September.