Statement on USA Powerlifting Drug Testing and other organizations
We are aware of the false rumors being spread by those who believe we are targeting lifters for OMTs in order to suspend them.
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.
