USA POWERLIFTING WORLD RECORDS

Today we launched our official USA Powerlifting World Records. We have done this in an effort to align with our new and expanding international footprint. USA Powerlifting currently has 60 countries represented within our membership.

We established these World Records with the following criteria:

EXISTING IPF WORLD RECORDS SET 2020 AND BEFORE

Rationale:
USA Powerlifting and the IPF were aligned on drug testing until this point
USA Powerlifting was part of the IPF until this point
Lifts successfully completed with drug testing in place

AMERICAN RECORDS SET 2020 AND BEYOND WHICH EXCEEDED the IPF WORLD RECORDS

Using the above criteria, World Records set by Americans will remain as part of our new record set, while world records set by other countries will be marked as ‘World Record Standard’ to exceed.

Moving forward, lifters can set World Records under defined circumstances:

WORLD RECORD SETTING CRITERIA

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Meet Types
               • Pro Meets
               • National Championships
               • International Events
            2. Judging – The lift must be adjudicated by 3 Cat 2 and/or Cat 1 referees 
            3. Drug Testing – Drug testing must be conducted to claim a World Record.

Australia will make history as it hosts the first non-US international competition this December. We have more exciting opportunities in the future for athletes to compete internationally, including the Masters World Cup. 

USA Powerlifting is America’s Choice for Drug-Free Strength Sport, and the nation’s leading powerlifting organization with over 20,000 active members. Founded in 1981 as the American Drug Free Powerlifting Association, USA Powerlifting is a mission-driven 501c(3) non-profit. USA Powerlifting is committed to maintaining a fair and level playing field by drug testing at every sanctioned competition. For more information email pr@usapowerlifting.com 

June 18, 2022

Powerlifting America Threats to Lifters and Former Lifters

(Anchorage, Alaska) Many of you are aware that Powerlifting America administrators are demanding that athletes, coaches, and officials resign their membership in USA Powerlifting to participate in their federation or in the IPF. The canned form letter given to each member who is being forced to resign states that they may not “be associated with” any organization that performs “unauthorized drug tests.” They would have you believe that this is a WADA rule, or an IPF rule. It is not. In fact, WADA rules state that non-signatory drug testing, such as those completed by USA Powerlifting, be recognized by WADA signatories if such testing meets some of the criteria as defined in the WADA Code or the International Standards for Testing, and that the signatories should “attempt to apply the decision in harmony with the principles of the Code (Comment to Section 15.3). Similar language exists in the IPF Anti-doping Rules.

The words “unauthorized drug tests” do not appear in the WADA Code nor the International Standard for Results Management (ISRM 2021).

There is no language in the code that suggests that athletes cannot be drug tested by non-signatories to the Code, in fact, just the opposite. Section 15.3 and the associated comment 96 specifically addresses drug testing by non-signatories: To summarize, this section means that Signatories to the Code (IPF) should apply decisions made regarding drug testing results of a non-signatory (USA Powerlifting).

15.3 Implementation of Decisions by Body that is not a Signatory. An anti-doping decision by a body that is not a Signatory to the Code shall be implemented by each Signatory if the Signatory finds that the decision purports to be within the authority of that body and the anti-doping rules of that body are otherwise consistent with the Code. 96

96 [Comment to Article 15.3: Where the decision of a body that has not accepted the Code is in some respects Code compliant and in other respects not Code compliant, Signatories should attempt to apply the decision in harmony with the principles of the Code. For example, if in a process consistent with the Code a non-Signatory has found an Athlete to have committed an anti-doping rule violation on account of the presence of a Prohibited Substance in the Athlete’s body but the period of Ineligibility applied is shorter than the period provided for in the Code, then all Signatories should recognize the finding of an anti-doping rule violation and the Athlete’s National Anti-Doping Organization should conduct a hearing consistent with Article 8 to determine whether the longer period of Ineligibility provided in the Code should be imposed. A Signatory’s implementation of a decision or its decision not to implement a decision under Article 15.3, is appealable under Article 13.]

IPF anti-doping rules have similar language to address testing by a non-signatory. In summary, IPF is required to attempt to apply drug testing decisions made by a non-signatory who is in some respects Code compliant (which USA Powerlifting is, as our rules specifically adopt the Prohibited list).

72 [Comment to Article 15.3: Where the decision of a body that has not accepted the Code is in some respects Code compliant and in other respects not Code compliant, IPF, other Signatories and National Federations should attempt to apply the decision in harmony with the principles of the Code. For example, if in a process consistent with the Code a non-Signatory has found an Athlete to have committed an anti-doping rule violation on account of the presence of a Prohibited Substance in the Athlete’s body but the period of Ineligibility applied is shorter than the period provided for in the Code, then IPF and all other Signatories should recognize the finding of an anti-doping rule violation and the Athlete’s National Anti-Doping Organization should conduct a hearing consistent with Article 8 to determine whether the longer period of Ineligibility provided in the Code should be imposed. IPF or other Signatory’s implementation of a decision, or their decision not to implement a decision under Article 15.3, is appealable under Article 13.]

What does this mean to athletes? It means that testing done by USA Powerlifting should be recognized. If it isn’t, perhaps it is out of concern that athletes NOT tested under the IPF umbrella may fail elsewhere.

Further, athletes are told that they will “have a target on their back,“ if they compete in Powerlifting America. USA Powerlifting does not care where you compete! We do not test you because you compete elsewhere. Athletes are placed in our Registered Testing Pool (RTP) whose performance merits testing. This includes lifts done either in USA Powerlifting or elsewhere. Athletes submit their whereabouts, which are used for testing. As long as you remain in the USA Powerlifting testing pool you are subject to testing. We are testing athletes who are under our jurisdiction, either by membership or who willfully remain in our RTP.

To be clear, an ‘unauthorized test’ would be in the event a non-approved entity outside of their organization tested for their organization. We are not testing for them, nor do we claim to be or have any association with them. With their logic, athletes would have to also refuse drug testing by employers as well since it is not done under ‘WADA’.

You may find it concerning that you are cautioned about associating with organizations that the IPF and its minions do not approve of. Imagine in America being told that we can’t talk to, associate with, or compete with someone. The Frantz v. IPF lawsuits turned on just these issues and the IPF’s ignoring it resulted in the IPF’s absence from the U.S. for two decades. Apparently, they do not appreciate the lessons of history.

For our part, we want to provide a positive lifter experience, a level playing field, and an environment where everyone who is drug free can participate. At USA Powerlifting, we don’t have to threaten athletes, coaches, and officials to keep their loyalty. We will simply provide a better experience and continue to improve.

REINSTATEMENT: To formalize our belief in decisions to participate without threats, we offer reinstatement to any athlete who has resigned under duress during the same calendar year AT NO COST. If you have been forced to resign, you are welcome back into our family.

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13 June 2022

Contact: Stacey Rocco
Email: australia@usapowerlifting.com
Website: australia.usapowerlifting.com

USA POWERLIFTING AUSTRALIA NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

USA Powerlifting Australia office is proud to announce the first USA Powerlifting Australia National & International competition on 3-4 December 2022 at the State Netball & Hockey Centre located in Parkville; Melbourne, Victoria.

The Australian Office is pleased to announce that Pro Card’s will be on offer at this competition. Pro Card’s will be given to the top two (2) male and females in each weight category (open class).

“USA Powerlifting in Australia had started strong and we are very excited to offer an International and National competition within the first year of operation. We sincerely thank the powerlifting community for supporting USA Powerlifting in Australia and look forward to the future of Powerlifting in Australia and globally”

Registrations will open in the coming weeks. As this is the first year of operation there is no qualifying total for this meet however athletes must have previously competed in a USA Powerlifting sanctioned competition in 2022 to qualify.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Stacey Rocco; Meet Director Resources, Australia at staceyhrocco@gmail.com or australia@usapowerlifting.com

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The Term for this position, according to the USA Powerlifting bylaws, begins the first Monday following the National Governing Board (NGB) Meeting. This means the term will start June 20, 2022 and will end in 2025.

Thank you to all the candidates willing to serve USA Powerlifting and the athletes

Congratulations to Heather!

Fact: Two athletes had accepted being placed in the USA Powerlifting Registered Testing Pool (RTP) in order to maintain their Pro Card eligibility.

Fact: These athletes have been keeping their whereabouts current in order to be tested.

Fact: When they were approached by a USA Powerlifting Drug Testing Officer (DCO) for an Out of Meet Test (OMT), they contacted an administrator of Powerlifting America (PA). The athletes were told by that PA administrator they must refuse their drug test or they would not be allowed to compete with them.

Fact: There are no published rules by WADA that state that athletes can only be tested through a WADA agency or they lose their eligibility. This is PA and the IPF trying to control lifters and dictate what a lifter can and cannot do. Imagine you are part of the NCAA, NHL, high school powerlifting or even your job who conducts drug tests, but now have to refuse a drug test with those agencies because PA/IPF says only WADA can, or you lose your ability to compete. Clearly not true, nor will you find these made-up rules anywhere.

Are they so desperate for membership or to control people’s competition opportunities that they want them suspended?  Or are they afraid that we will stumble onto athletes that you are hiding out from testing, like some of you did under the IPF affiliate before USA Powerlifting?

The behavior of PA is much like two kids in Jr High School threatened if one friend speaks to someone else. Being part of an organization that makes up rules and dictates, especially who lifters, coaches, and referees can and can’t ‘hang’ with, negates why we live in the United States of America. We understand and support lifters desire to compete on the world platform and feel sorry that you are being threatened by PA in order to be able to do so.

We live in America, the land of the free: free speech, freedom of assembly, and the freedom from arbitrary rules that threaten our personal liberties.

Keeping the platform clean since 1981.

The dedicated website for our Pro Series is: pro.usapowerlifting.com

November 30, 2021

USA Powerlifting International Membership Information

USA Powerlifting competitions are open to international lifters who wish to compete on a drug-tested platform against the strongest powerlifters in the world. 

Historically, we have had international members who, with the permission of their home country, competed with us. Permission is no longer required if you meet the terms and conditions of our membership. Currently, we have 64 different nations represented by our international membership, with growing interest from many other nations. Our international members will now be able to compete under their country’s flag at USA Powerlifting events.

Criteria for International Member participation in meets:

• Local Meets – Compete for placing
• State Championships – Compete as International Guest
• National meets (with the exception of Collegiates) – Compete as International Guest
• Collegiate Nationals or Collegiate Only events – Complete for placing
• Arnold events – Compete for placing
• Pro Series Events – Invitation Only

Criteria to Referee

• May referee meets based on their current referee level. (ie, must achieve National or higher to referee National level meets)
• Are eligible to sit for referee exams with the same criteria as any other member.

International memberships can be accessed on our membership page.  

Additional information regarding records, international events, results, and other questions will be developed by our International Committee in the future. We will release new details as they become available.

Below is an example of an international member card.

We look forward to seeing you on the USA Powerlifting platform!

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