Appendix 1
The Rules Of Weightlifting
2025 Edition Note: The 1998 edition of the Weightlifting Encyclopedia had a rules section that was extensive, as is the revision below. However, in 1998, that kind of lengthy presentation was needed because internet use was not as widespread then as it has become in 2025 and the documents describing the rules of the sport were not as readily available to anyone with a smart phone or computer, as they are today. So lots of details had to be covered.
Today, with the ease of access to the rules of the sport available so conveniently online, it is less necessary to enumerate all the rules in detail in book like this one. So instead of fully rewriting the 1998 version of the book’s rules summary, we are presenting a shorter version (in certain sections) here, and providing links to the online resources that will help assure your understanding of the rules is up to date whenever you access it. However, this change in the book’s scope has not necessarily reduced the space in the book devoted to the rules, because a number of new rules and officials have been added to the sport (as compared with simply changed) so more space is needed just summarize what has occurred in these new areas.
It should be noted that as this edition of The Weightlifting Encyclopedia is being published, the sport of weightlifting is likely on the eve of some significant rule changes (e.g., it appears that the bodyweight categories may change again and be somewhat smaller in number than the 10 categories there are today for men and women).
Why cover the rules as extensively as we do below? Many athletes, and even some coaches I know, seem to say, “I’m not going to worry about the rules, I’ll just do good clean lifts and let the referees worry about the rules.” Unfortunately, people with such an attitude are exposing themselves to unnecessary disasters that can arise out of a failure to pay attention to the rules. During more than fifty years of involvement in the sport of weightlifting, I have witnessed national and international level coaches make unbelievably basic errors with respect to the rules. These mistakes have actually cost athletes championships and /or team spots, a terrible tragedy.
My advice is to pay attention to the rules so that such things do not happen to you or your athletes. Besides, by learning the rules thoroughly, you may begin to appreciate the admirable logic, fairness and downright elegance that have been built into the rules of weightlifting by the many wise people who have contributed to the sport over the years. Yes, there are occasional inconsistencies and/or oversights in the rules, and sometimes they do not seem to be fair. But, overall, weightlifting rules are a wonderful achievement, still another reason to admire this sport of strength so much.
Before learning the technical rules, it is useful for the athlete and coach to understand the possible sources of rules that can affect a given competition. While the “rule book” is adhered to quite closely in the vast majority of circumstances, it is helpful to get a sense of who might influence those rules and in what respects.
The Organizations Which Govern Weightlifting
At least six organizations influence the rules of weightlifting competition in any country in the world. They are (roughly in order of their overall influence): the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF); the individual National Weightlifting Federations (USA Weightlifting in the US); the International Olympic Committee (IOC); the Olympic committees of individual nations (e.g., the USOPC in the US); the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the affiliated International Testing Agency (ITA,) and the Major Event Organizers and organizing committees of specific competitions.
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF)
Located in Lausanne Switzerland, the IWF is the organization that governs the sport of weightlifting internationally. It was founded in 1905. The IWF is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the General Association of International Sports Federations) as the international governing body for all sports involving weights lifted on a bar. The mission of the IWF is to organize and control weightlifting internationally, to develop friendship and cooperation among nations, to assist in the development of national federations, to resolve disputes among national federations, to set up the rules of weightlifting, to control international events, to supervise continental and regional federations and to verify all world records in the sport of Weightlifting.
The IWF does not permit any political or religious demonstrations at its events and is committed to making no distinction between continents, countries or persons on the basis of gender, race, color, religion or politics. English is the working language (English is the language used in the IWF’s publications and at meetings, and whenever a dispute arises with respect to the rules of the IWF, the English text governs.) Within the IWF, there are six “continental” federations: Weightlifting Feberation of Africa, Asian Weightlifting Federation, European Weightlifting Federation, Oceana Weightlifting Federation, Pan-American Weightlifting Feberation. Each of these continental federations holds its own championships and has distinct representation in the IWF, but most of the day-to-day operations in the sport of weightlifting take place at the IWF level or within the national federations.
The IWF Executive Board oversees the operations of the IWF, with its Congress participating the control of the overall rules that govern the sport. Each member country and Continental Federation is represented in the governance of the organization. The Congress typically meets annually at the World Championships and, every four years, generally around the time of the Olympic Games, there is an Electoral Congress, which elects the officers of the organization and its Executive Board.
The IWF has eight Commissions , which oversee such things as Development and Education, Gender Equity, Governance and Anti-doping. It also has three standing committees that carry out many of the functions of the IWF. The committees are:
Technical Committee. This committee appoints officials for the World Championships (the Executive Board does this at Olympic Games), considers questions regarding the technical rules, prepares courses and exams for referees, sets policy on the equipment used in competitions and proposes modifications to existing rules.
Coaching and Research Committee. This committee advises the Executive Board on the licensing of coaches, and seeks to foster research in sports science related to the sport.
Medical Committee. This committee safeguards the health of the athletes, advises competition organizers on health matters, supervises medical services and facilities at competitions, fosters anti-doping policies control, appoints doctors on duty, fosters sports science related to the sport.
At any international competition, the IWF has direct and complete control over the running of the competition. The IWF also controls the domestic competitions of its national federation members to a significant extent. If the way in which a national federation operates (e.g., the way in which it administers the eligibility of athletes or conducts competitions) conflicts with the norms established by the IWF, that national federation faces the prospect of sanctions from the IWF. Such sanctions range from fines and suspensions to expulsion from the IWF. While the IWF recognizes that local conditions (e.g., the availability of officials and equipment) may make absolute compliance with all of its standards impossible, it does require reasonable adherence to its rules if the results of competitions within a given national federation are to be recognized as official and if the athletes of a given nation are to be permitted to compete internationally at IWF events.
Today the IWF has more than 190 nations who are members of the organization or in various stages of gaining membership, an impressive number. All things considered, the IWF is a remarkable example of what can be accomplished through the peaceful cooperation of nations. With rare exceptions, the IWF has managed to recognize the diverse interests of many people and to fuse a worldwide coalition of people who are dedicated to the advancement of the sport of weightlifting. The current address of the headquarters of the IWF is: IWF Secretariat, which is located in the Maison du Sport, Av. De Rhodaine, 54, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland. Its telephone number is 41-1-216013227 and the e-mail is iwf@iwf.sport.
The National Weightlifting Federation of Each Country
Each country that is a member of the IWF has a single organization that is recognized by the IWF as the national governing body for weightlifting in that country. In the United States the organization recognized by the IWF as the sole governing body for weightlifting is the United States Weightlifting Federation (USAW).
Since the IWF recognizes the USAW as the governing body of weightlifting in the United States, it looks to the USAW, as it would to any national governing body, to give permission to its athletes who wish to compete internationally. Competing internationally without the permission of the athlete’s national federation can expose an athlete to suspension by that federation. Before going on to describe the other three organizations that can affect weightlifting rules, let us take a closer look at the USAW.
The Organization Of USA Weightlifting (USAW)
The USWF was incorporated in 1979 (and started doing business as the USAW in the 1990s), but it had a prior history for more than fifty years as the Weightlifting Committee of the Amateur Athletic Union. (A law called the Amateur Athletic Act of 1978 resulted in many sports governing bodies in the United States becoming autonomous.) The mission of the USAW is support United States athletes in achieving excellence in Olympic and world competition and to support, promote and educate a diverse and inclusive community and the use of the barbell in the United States, seeking to maintain certification by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the governing body for weightlifting in the US.
It’s day to day operations are under the direction of its Executive Director (ED), who is overseen by the USAW’s Board of Directors. Their office is at 1 Olympic Plaza, Colorado Springs, CO 80909, telephone 719.8667.4508 and their e-mail address is usaw@usaweightlifting.org (website usaweightlifting.org).The ED is overseen by 12 member Board of Directors, who represent certain constituencies such as athletes, coaches and officials.
Part of it’s duties are to cooperate with WADA and USADA in their Anti-Doping work and to support the SafeSport Code that protects athletes from various forms of abuse, most especially minors. The Board appoints one of its members as the Chair, another as the Vice Chair, while the ED selects the Corporate Secretary. These three make up the Officers of the organization, although additional officers can be appointed.
Locally, the sport is governed by Weightlifting State Organizations (WSO). In some cases a single WSO oversees multiple states, in other cases WSOs govern only one state, and in at least one state there is more than one WSO (California North Central and California South). Athletes are assigned by default to the WSO in which they have their primary, but they can elect to be members of a different WSO, subject to certain limitations,
More information about the organizations, governance can be found at: usaweightlifting.org/governance.
The USAW has an annual assembly, to which all individual and organizational members are invited.
The USAW follows the rules of the IWF closely in conducting their events, however, some allowance is made for conditions and national and local events. These are explained at the USAW website at the link:
The International Olympic Committee (IOC)
This is the organization that controls the Olympic Games. While the IOC tends to have little effect on the rules of competition for weightlifting, it can influence the structure of weightlifting competition in the Olympic Games in a very general but important way. The IOC determines what events will be held at each Olympic Games, how many medals will be awarded in each event, the maximum number of athletes that will be permitted to represent each country in the various events, the doping or drug control policies that will be employed with respect to competitors in the Games and the definition of an “amateur” athlete that will be used for purposes of the various events in the Games. (Amazingly, the definition of an amateur is not identical for all sports, although the use of the word amateur is rapidly disappearing.)
Since the Olympic Games represents only one competition in four years, many people might be surprised to learn that the IOC’s influence is important in all non-Olympic weightlifting events. However, such an influence becomes understandable when you consider the enormous prestige that is associated with being an “Olympic” sport. This prestige has led the IWF to treat the Olympic Games as the most important event on its international calendar of events (although the annual World Championships that are held by the IWF are considered to be of virtually equal importance by most weightlifting aficionados). Consequently, the IWF does not wish to stray too far in its rules for other competitions from the event that is held at the Olympic Games, lest such straying cause observers to conclude that the sport is not the same as the Olympic one or cause competitors to develop techniques that cannot be used in the Olympic Games. However, one major difference between eligibility for, and structure of international competitions other than the Olympics and the Olympics themselves. The biggest difference is that (as of 2024, the World Championships had 10 bodyweight categories for each gender, while only five such categories were contested at the 2024 Olympic Games (largely because the IOC wants to control the number of competitors in the Olympic Games overall.
The Olympic Committee of Each Country
These are the organizations that are charged by each nation with fielding that nation’s Olympic Team. (The Olympic Committee of the United States also fields a team for the Pan American Games, a competition which includes North, Central and South America.) In the United States this organization is called the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). This organization affects the USAW in three major ways. First, it must approve the means that the USAW proposes for the selection of the Olympic Team. Second, the USOC oversees certain procedures that affect an athlete’s eligibility for competition, such as the “doping” (drug control) procedures that are employed before and during competitions. Third, the USOC provides limited financial support to many of the sports governing bodies in the United States (including the USAW). As a result, while the USOC has little direct influence on the way competitions are organized by the USAW, the USAW is always mindful of the USOC’s spheres of control, and it wishes to be closely aligned with the rules of the USOC.
The Organizing Committee of a Particular Competition
The rules of the IWF and of the national federation under whose auspices an event is held (if the event is not an international one) are overwhelmingly dominant in the operation of any competition. However, the governing bodies of the sport, recognizing the limited resources of many of the organizations that hold events, do permit some latitude in the interpretation of the rules for some events. For example, in the United States it is permissible for the organizing committee of the competition to forbid the competitor from letting go of the bar before it reaches the floor and once the lift has been completed. (The IWF rules permit the lifter to let go of the bar once it passes the waist.) The purpose of this flexibility is to permit the meet organizer to protect the facility, where necessary, from any damage that might result from unnecessary dropping of the weights. IWF rules require the use of an electronic scale to weigh the athletes and bar before the competition. In competitions below the national level, organizing committees are often permitted to use mechanical scales (though such scales are expected to be accurate).
A Word about Amateurism and Eligibility
The concept of amateurism (competing and training without financial reward) has been controversial virtually since it was introduced more than a century ago. Over the years many tragic stories have unfolded because of an athlete’s failure to protect his or her amateur status. Today it is accepted by most sports authorities that the notion of amateurism has become virtually meaningless. In recognition of this, most sports governing bodies have relaxed or eliminated their standards regarding amateurism. The IWF rulebook no longer refers to amateurism, nor does the USAW make any references to it. The USOPC refers to amateur but that term is widely understood as referring to competitions for which payments by organizers are not made.
USAW Member Code of Conduct
Members of the USAW are expected to abide by its code of conduct, which can be found at:
https://www.usaweightlifting.org/membership/member-code-of-conduct
In essence it requires all members to abide by all USAW, USOPC, USADA, US Center for SafeSport & International Weightlifting Federation rules, selection procedures, funding procedures, codes of ethics, codes of conduct, international codes of conduct and safety guidelines. Members are expected to respect each other without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, civil status, veteran status, marital status, language, social condition, mental or physical ability, sexual preference or gender identity.
Members may not use offensive language/gestures or non-consensual physical contact as a response to the referees/jury/officials decision as an expression of frustration and/or self-admonishment. They may not engage in any form of discriminatory, verbal, physical or sexual harassment/abuse, fraud, stealing, deception or dishonesty related to USA Weightlifting events or activities. They may not disrespect, intimidate or embarrass other members, teammates, athletes, coaches, officials, spectators, sponsors, volunteers, Board of Directors, Committee members, Athlete Advisory Council Representatives, USADA and/or USA Weightlifting and National Office staff in person, electronically, and/or through social networking venues (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, blogs or websites, etc.).
They may not participate in any non-consensual sexual contact or advance or other inappropriate sexually oriented behavior or action directed towards any member by a coach, official, athletic trainer or other person who is in a position of authority. They will respect and not cause damage to private or public property of others while at an event sanctioned by USA Weightlifting or at a designated USA Weightlifting facility. They will not sell or distribute any substance on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of banned substances. They will not knowingly misrepresent competitive achievements, professional qualifications, education, experience, eligibility, criminal record or affiliations of one self or another member. They will not misrepresent the nature or extent of an injury in order to decline an invitation to participate in or withdraw from a competition, training camp or other similar activity. Will not use illegal drugs in the presence of teammates, athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, spectators, sponsors and staff of USA Weightlifting and/or at any USA Weightlifting event or activity. They will not commit a doping violation as defined by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) or the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF).
Disciplinary action for violation of any provision in the Code of Conduct may include a reprimand; suspension from competition participation, withholding of Direct Athlete Support payments; imposition of fines (including with respect to reimbursement of expenses incurred by USAW); removal from team; and/or termination of memberships with USA Weightlifting.
The USA Weightlifting Ethics Committee shall be responsible for investigating and recommending for action any violation of the Code of Conduct, and will ensure investigations are conducted by disinterested parties.
USA Weightlifting prohibits retaliation against any complainant by the organization or any member of the organization but works to insure the rights of anyone accused of a conduct violation. While any accusation is being investigated, no one may contact any in connection with the complaint until it has be adjudicated.
The Technical Rules Of Weightlifting
Now that we have identified the organizations which can affect the rules of the competition, let us look at those rules in some detail. It should be noted that while every effort has been made to interpret and summarize the technical rules of weightlifting accurately, the athlete and coach should never rely on the interpretations in this book, both because they are only the author’s interpretation and because rules change from time to time. Always consult the official rules and the officials for a given competition for definitive interpretations.
In the presentation of the rules that appears below, IWF rules are always explained first. Where the USAW rules are different, those specific differences are noted in the appropriate places.
The Competitive Lifts
The IWF recognizes two events, which must be done in competitions in the following order: a) the two hands snatch (snatch), and b) the two hands clean and jerk (C&J). The overall winner of any weightlifting competition is the athlete who lifts the highest combined amount of weight in the snatch and C&J (i.e., the heaviest weights successfully lifted in each event are combined) . This combined score is called the “Total.” While awards are given at major competitions for each event as well as the Total, recognition in the sport of weightlifting goes to the athlete who lifts the greatest total weight in competition. When a weightlifting aficionado speaks of the “World Champion” in weightlifting, he or she is speaking about the winner in the Total.
Because there are two events in weightlifting competitions, and the ultimate scoring of the competition is dependent on the highest amount of weight lifted by the athletes on a combined basis, a weightlifting competition is often referred to as a biathlon.
In the snatch, the bar is pulled in one explosive motion from the floor to full arm’s length overhead. In order to make the lift easier to perform, athletes typically bend or spread their legs quickly while the bar is rising in order to catch the bar at arm’s length. The combined attributes of great strength and blinding speed are needed to accomplish this challenging event effectively.
In the clean and jerk (C&J), the bar is also lifted to full arm’s length overhead. However, although it is considered one event, the C&J is really two lifts that must be completed one immediately after the other. In the clean, the bar is raised (pulled) in an explosive motion from the floor to a point of rest approximately at the level of the shoulders. (it may not touch the chest before stops at its final position, which may be on the chest itself, the clavicles (or shoulders) or above the shoulders as long as the arms are in a fully bent position (with the bar resting on the hands in the latter case.) If the bar has been lifted in one continuous motion to a level of the shoulders or below, it may not be moved from the original position at which it made contact with the chest or shoulders in preparation for the second (jerk) part of the overall lift. However, if the bar was originally cleaned to a position above the shoulders, it may be lowered to the shoulders, but no lower. After the clean but before the jerk, the lifter may unhook the thumbs if a hook grip was used in the clean (a “hook” grip is explained later in this appendix), and/or change the width of the grip. In order to make the lift easier to perform, athletes typically bend or spread their legs quickly while the bar is rising in order to catch the bar on the shoulders.
The second part of the C&J, the jerk, consists of bending the legs and then extending both the arms and the legs to bring the bar to full arm’s length over the head in one explosive motion. In order to make the lift easier to perform, athletes typically bend or spread their legs quickly while the bar is rising in order to catch the bar at arm’s length. Since the athlete is lifting the bar in two stages in the C&J, heavier weights can be lifted in the C&J than in the snatch.
As a practical matter, bending and/or moving the legs to catch the bar is a required aspect of the snatch, the clean and the jerk. Aside from being sound practice from an efficiency standpoint (the bar does not have to be lifted as high if the body is quickly lowered), it is virtually impossible for the bar to be lifted in a continuous motion (i.e., without a significant and visible change in speed) unless the body is quickly lowered just before the lift is completed and just as its upward velocity is slowing down.
Shared Characteristics of The Snatch and the C&J
The snatch and the clean and jerk share a number of characteristics in terms of the requirements for correct performance. For example, in both the snatch and the clean and jerk, the bar is placed horizontally in front of both legs (i.e., the plates or discs on both sides of the bar rest on the platform at the same level as the bottom of the lifter’s feet). The bar is gripped with the palms down and the fingers encircling the bar from the palms to the tips of the fingers. The thumbs may be placed at virtually any position on the bar. For example, they may follow the direction of the rest of the fingers or may encircle the bar from the other side in a direction opposite to that of the rest of the fingers. In addition, the thumbs may be placed under the fingers (the latter position is called a “hook” grip, a method of gripping the bar which is discussed in detail in the section of this book on technique). As the bar is lifted from the floor in both the snatch and the clean, it may slide along the legs and lap at any point.
Both the snatch and jerk are considered completed when the bar has reached its fullest extent or arm’s length overhead, the legs are straight and the lifter is motionless in a position where the bar, trunk and feet are on the same line. (If you were directly above the athlete looking down, you could see that the bar, the lifter’s trunk and the lifter’s feet were all parallel.) Once this position has been achieved, the referees will give the lifter both a visible and audible signal that the bar may be returned to the platform. The clean part of the C&J is considered completed when the feet are on the same line, the legs are straight and the bar and lifter are motionless. The lifter may attempt to jerk the bar any time after such a position is reached.
As was indicated earlier, in order to make the lifts easier for the athlete, it is permissible for the lifter to lower the body by bending the trunk and legs and/or moving the feet. This typically involves the lifter’s going into a full squat (i.e., deep knee bend) position with both feet flat on the floor. Alternatively, some lifters lower their bodies by jumping one foot forward and the other backward, while bending the front leg into a squat like position and keeping the back leg straight, or nearly so, with the weight of the back leg balanced on the toe. (The position resembles that of a fencer, except that the front leg is bent into a deeper position, and the back leg is balanced on the toe, with the foot parallel to and to one side of the front foot0. This is called a split position.
Once an athlete has reached the lowest point in his or her squat or split position and has caught the weight, he or she may recover to a full standing position with the feet in line (i.e., if you were observing the lifter from either side, one foot would not be in front of the other), in his or her own time, taking as many attempts to rise from the lowered body position as he or she wishes. Rocking, bouncing, twisting and moving the feet are all permissible in an effort to straighten the legs and put the feet in line. The only limitation on the movement of the feet while lowering and recovering from the lowering of the bar is that the feet may not travel outside the confines of a designated lifting area called the “platform.”
General Rules for All of the Lifts
A number of general rules apply to both the snatch and the C&J.
1. Any snatch or clean which reaches the height of the knees is considered an attempt, even if the lift goes no further than that position. (If the lifter decides not to make that particular attempt before the bar reaches the height of the knees, he or she can replace the bar on the platform and try the lift again, time permitting.) Only one attempt at jerking the bar is permitted after each clean. Any perceived failed attempt at jerking the bar (e.g., lowering the body or bending the knees) will be considered an attempt. In addition, the lifter may not deliberately oscillate the bar to gain an advantage in the jerk (i.e., both the bar and the lifter must be motionless before the start of the jerk).
2. When the bar is lowered from arm’s length after the referee’s signal, it must travel in front of the lifter and cannot be dropped. Under international rules, the lifter may release his or her grip once the bar has passed the level of the waist. In domestic competitions, releasing the bar once it has passed the height of the waist is only permissible if rubber bumper plates are being used and then only if the meet director permits it. (Otherwise both hands must remain on the bar until it is returned to the platform.) In addition, the bar must be replaced within the confines of the platform (i.e., the plates of the bar must touch down within the confines of the platform). It is permissible for the bar to bounce or roll outside the confines of the platform area, after the plates have touched the area inside.
3. If the athlete cannot, due to an anatomical limitation, fully straighten his or her arm(s), this fact must be reported to all three referees and the jury before the start of the competition). They will then interpret lifting the bar to “the fullest extent of the arms” rule in the context of that lifter’s ability to extend the arms with no weight.
4. The use of grease, oil, water, talcum, cream or any other lubricants on the thighs is prohibited, and the athlete may not arrive in the competition area with any substance on the thighs. (“Chalk”—magnesium carbonate— may be applied to any part of the body in view of referees.) Most lifters at least touch their thighs with the bar when they are lifting the bar in the snatch or clean; many lifters slide the bar along, the thighs or hips; lubrication helps during this process, perhaps unfairly. However, the main reason for prohibiting the use of lubricants is to protect all lifters from having to perform with a slippery bar and/or on a slippery lifting surface. If an athlete has been called to the platform and a lubricant is detected, the athlete will be required to remove the lubricant before making his or her attempt with that weight; the clock continues to run during this period, which means the remaining time the athlete has for making an attempt may expire before the lubricant can be removed, causing the forfeiture of that attempt. Therefore, using a lubricant is a risky business.
Incorrect Movements for All Lifts
In addition to the incorrect movements mentioned above, the following movements are not permitted in either lift.
1. Pausing, even briefly, during the raising of the bar to arm’s length in the snatch or jerk (during the raising of the bar to the vicinity of the shoulders in the clean). This prohibition includes the motion called “pressing out,” which invariably involves a momentary slowing or stoppage of the bar’s upward progress and maintaining the body in a stationary position while using the arms and shoulders to raise the bar. all lifters push or press out on the bar as it goes overhead in the snatch or jerk, but when either lift is timed properly, the body is being lowered while the bar is still going up (as a result of momentum that has developed earlier in the lift). Therefore, the motion of the arms is so fast that there is no visible “press out,” and the lift is considered to be correctly performed.
2. Touching the ground with any part of the body other than the feet (e.g., the knee in the low split position, the buttocks in a deep squat position). Some officials have even argued that if a part of the lifters attire (other than the shoes) makes contact with the ground, the lift is not good. This requires some judgment. Clearly a lifter’s buttocks (which are usually covered by a lifting suit) cannot make actual contact with the ground; only the lifting suit can. But what if the lifting suit is very loose fitting and does make contact with the ground? You are at the mercy of an official’s judgment and ability to see the difference between your buttocks and the suit. The moral of this story is to see that your costume is close fitting.
3. Incomplete extension of one or both arms in the snatch or jerk: the bar must go in one continuous motion to arm’s length on both arms at the same time. It must remain in that position until the completion of the lift.
4. Rebending the arms once the bar has been lifted to arm’s length at any point prior to the down signal. (Once bar has gone to arm’s length, it must stay there.) It is permissible to turn the arms at the shoulder in an effort to control the bar overhead, but no unlocking of the elbows is permitted. (Inexperienced officials sometimes have trouble differentiating between these two kinds of movement, but generally there is no problem in this area.)
5. Leaving the competition platform or touching any area outside the competition platform with any part of the body before the complete execution of the lift.
6. Dropping the barbell from above the shoulders.
7. Failing to replace the entire barbell on the competition platform.
8. Failing to the face the Centre Referee at the beginning of the lift.
9. Releasing the barbell from an incomplete position.
10. Touching the barbell with one’s footwear. If this happens before the attempt the referees must signal “no lift”. If the barbell is touched by the athlete’s foot after a successful lift the referees will not reverse their decision but will give the athlete a warning (if the athlete repeats the action on a later lift that lift will be judged “no lift.”
11. Failing to finish a lift with the feet and barbell in line and parallel to the trunk.
12. Failing to extend the knees at the completion of the lift.
Incorrect Movements Particular to the Clean and Jerk
In the clean, resting/placing the barbell on the chest at a point before its final position is not permitted. In catching the bar on or above the chest or shoulders, no part of the elbow or upper arm may touch any part of the athlete’s thighs or knees (e.g., when the athlete catches the bar in a deep squat position, the elbows can be in close proximity to the knees). The reason for the rule is to prevent the athlete from using the knees or thighs to lift or support the bar and to protect the athlete from incurring an injury to the wrist (which can result when a lifter does not strive to keep the elbows well up while he or she is in a low squat position).
In the jerk, any apparent effort at the jerk which is not completed (e.g., lowering the body or bending the knees). Any deliberate oscillation of the barbell of the barbell to gain advantage (the athletes must become motionless before starting the jerk).
Participants in the Competition (or Classes of Competitors)
Deeply rooted in the sport of weightlifting is the concept of competition among athletes who have an equal opportunity for success. Consequently, differences in the physical size, sex and age of competitors are recognized by having weight classes and separate competitions for males and females as well as for athletes who are younger or older than the prime competitive ages (i.e. very roughly twenty to thirty-five). However, athletes who are older or younger and women are often permitted to lift in “open” competition (i.e., competitions that are not specifically limited to competitors of a certain type or to residents of specific geographic areas) if they are able (in terms of their lifting ability). Participation in Senior World Championships and Olympic Games is restricted to those competitors who are age sixteen or older. To be eligible for the Junior World Championships, athletes may not be older than twenty nor younger than fifteen. The IWF has a special way of defining age, which is described later in this explanation of the rules.
The Weight Classes
Physical size in weightlifting is measured by body weight. On an international level and within most national federations (including the United States), the body weights of competitors and the weights that they lift are recorded in kilograms (abbreviated as “kg.”).
The weight classes used in weightlifting competition have been changed a number of times over the years. As of year end 2024 they were: for women (Junior and Senior – in kg.): 45,49, 55, 59, 64, 71, 76, 81, 87 and +87; for the men 55, 61, 67, 73, 81, 89, 96, 102, 109,+109. Certain competitions, most notably the Olympic Games in 2024, limited the bodyweight categories to, for the women – 49, 59, 71, 81, +81, and for the men – 61, 73, 89, 102, +102.
The IWF has announced that beginning in June of 2025, the bodyweight categories will be reduced to eight, for both men and women and will be as follows, in kg., for Junior and Senior athletes: women – 48, 53, 58. 63. 69, 77, 86 and + 86 while for the men the categories will be – 60, 65, 71, 79, 88, 98, 110 and + 110.
No athlete can compete in more than one weight category during any competition, even if it is held across several days. In addition, it is required that competitions be held in order of the weight classes, lightest to heaviest. This allows a competitor who is over the weight limit in a given class to compete in the next higher one, assuming he or she has met the performance qualifications in that higher weight class. For example, if the qualifying total for a given men’s competition is 230 kg. for the 67 kg. class and 250 kg. for the 73 kg. class, an athlete who has totaled 250 kg. in the 67 kg. class can compete in either class. It should be noted that while an athlete who makes a total in one weight class is presumed to be capable of making that same total in a heavier weight class, it is not presumed that an athlete who has made a total in one weight class will suffer a specific degree of performance reduction if he or she moves to a lower weight class—so if an athlete has totaled 250 kg. while lifting in the 73 kg. class, it is not assumed that he or she can make 230 kg., or any other total, at 67 kg.).
Age Group Competitions
There are generally four kinds of age group competitions: Youth, Junior, Senior and Masters. Youths are 13-17 years of age, Juniors 15-20 and Seniors 15+, with ages calculated by year of birth. Internationally Masters have broken away from the IWF so conduct their own international events without the involvement of the IWF.. Nationally, the USAW still holds Masters events. Masters compete, nationally and international, in five year age brackets beginning at 35 to 39.
The way in which age is measured in weightlifting competition is special. Ages are defined as the age of the competitor on January 1 of any year. For example, those lifters who are classified as Juniors in any given year are those athletes who are age nineteen or younger as of January 1 of that year. This kind of measurement may seem to be strange, since at a Junior competition held late in the year many competitors may have an actual age of twenty. However, in many countries of the world ages are still only recorded in an approximate fashion (e.g., by year, or by year and month), and IWF officials, who are expected to verify age prior to international competitions were having great difficulty obtaining the exact age of competitors. As a consequence, in an effort to make the lives of its officials more pleasant and to avoid wrangling over the date of a particular competition within the year, the IWF has adopted this standard for all age related competitions.
Junior and Youth Competitions Internationally and in the US
Junior lifters have the same weight classes, nationally and internationally, as older athletes. For Youth aged athletes, the IWF adds and 49 kg. category for the men but deletes the 109 kg. category and uses 102+ as the top category. Similarly, for the women, the first category is 40 kg. and the last is 81+.
The USAW uses the IWF bodyweight categories for it National Youth Championships in the 16-17 year old age group. However, it has a 14-15 year old age group as well, and in that age group 44 kg. and 49 kg. bodyweight categories are added at the lower end of the men’s bodyweight categories and the highest bodyweight category is +89 category. For the women in the 14-15 year old age group, the bodyweight categories begin with 36 kg. and 40 kg. and end with the + 76 kg. category. For lifters who are 13 and under, the men’s categories start at 32 kg. and 36 kg. and end at + 73 kg. while the women begin at 30 kg. and 33 kg. and end at +64 kg.
Team Competition and Scoring
Although weightlifting is primarily an individual sport, a team element of the competition is recognized at most competitions. Each athlete may score a certain number of points for his or her team on the basis of placement in the competition.
Internationally, at World and Continental Championships and competitions at Continental, Regional and other organized Games (such as the Pan American Games), a country may enter a team with as many as 20 athletes of each gender in a competition, but only 10 of each gender may actually earn team points. No more than two athletes from any one team may represent than team in a given bodyweight category, but can be otherwise the country/team can have lifters in any weight category represent it.
If the policy for team scoring at any event differs from the norm, it should be stated in the entry blank for the competition or, at a minimum, at the time of the drawing of the lots prior to the competition. Team placement is based on points earned by each athlete representing a given team, using the following team point allocation.
| Athlete Placement | Points | Athlete Placement | Points |
| 1 | 28 | 14 | 12 |
| 2 | 25 | 15 | 11 |
| 3 | 23 | 16 | 10 |
| 4 | 22 | 17 | 9 |
| 5 | 21 | 18 | 8 |
| 6 | 20 | 19 | 7 |
| 7 | 19 | 20 | 6 |
| 8 | 18 | 21 | 5 |
| 9 | 17 | 22 | 4 |
| 10 | 16 | 23 | 3 |
| 11 | 15 | 24 | 2 |
| 12 | 14 | 25 | 1 |
| 13 | 13 |
Equipment Used in Weightlifting Competitions By Athletes
There are essentially four kinds of equipment in use at weightlifting competitions: the barbell, the competition platform where all lifts are performed, the personal equipment used by the individual competitor and the system jointly used by the athletes, coaches, officials and spectators to follow the flow of the competition. We will examine each one some detail.
The Barbell
The bar has three basic components: the bar; the discs which comprise the bulk of the weight of the overall bar in most cases (they are usually called “plates” in the United States); and the moveable or “outside collars” of the barbell (often simply called the “collars”). The discs come in a variety of weights and are round. They have a round hole in the center just large enough so that the plate can fit on the bar.
The bar itself consists of a round steel bar with several components attached to it. At either end of the bar there are “sleeves.” A sleeve is a hollow piece of round metal similar to a pipe. Its inside diameter is larger than that of the bar (so that it can fit over the bar). The plates that are placed on a bar actually rest on the sleeve. Between the outside surface of the bar and the inside surface of the sleeve, there is usually some sort of bearing (a mechanical device whose purpose is to enable the bar to turn freely in the lifter’s hands when the bar is being lifted). Free movement of the bar facilitates the lifting of the bar. (Too much freedom can cause the plates to spin rapidly around the bar while it is being lifted, causing a gyroscopic effect and making the bar more difficult and even dangerous to lift; this is a rare circumstance.). A fixed pair of “collars” inside the sleeves on either side of the bar keep the weight plates loaded on the bar from sliding inward. A removable set of outside collars permit the desired plates to be loaded onto the bar, after which the collars are tightened against the barbell’s sleeve to prevent the plates from moving outward during a lift. The athlete grips the bar between the inside collars (and may actually touch with the outside of the hand the insides of the collars.
The bar has several roughened (or “knurled” areas). These areas of knurling help the lifter to grip the bar, or to keep the bar from sliding on the chest when it is cleaned.
Specifications For The Bar:
The use of separate men’s and women’s bars, with different specifcations, began officially in 1997 (a bar with the specifications of today’s men’s bar had been used for men and women prior to 1997). The use of a gender specific bar is currently required at all competitions.
The bar(s) used in competition must meet the following overall specifications (women’s specifications are shown is parentheses where they are different):
a) Weight: 20 kg. (15 kg.); a kilo equals 2.204622622 pounds, so the men’s bar weighs just over 44 lb.—the simple way to convert kilos to pounds is to double the kilos and add 10%, so one doubles 20 kg. to reach 40 and adds 10% (4) to reach the weight of the bar in pounds (44);
b) Length: 2200 mm (2010), which is just over 86.5” with a tolerance of plus or minus 1 mm;
c) Diameter of the bar: 28 mm (25 mm), which is just over 1.1”) plus or minus .03 mm on the smooth (non-knurled) part of the bar; d) Diameter of the sleeve: 50 mm (just under 2 “) plus or minus .2 mm;
e) Distance between the inside collars: 1310 mm (just over 51.5”) plus or minus .5 mm;
f) Width of the inside collar, including the collar of the sleeve (whether in two pieces or one): 30 mm (1.18 “) plus or minus 1 mm;
g) Knurling: In order to facilitate the grip and the positioning of the hands on the bar, the bar must be knurled. The latest IWF rulebook does not specify the positioning of the knurled and smooth parts of the bar, but the prior IWF rulebook and the current USAW rulebook indicate that for the men’s bar they are to be arranged as follows (beginning with the inside edge of the inside collars): a smooth area just inside each inside collar measuring 5 mm, then knurled areas on either side measuring 190 mm each, then smooth areas of 5 mm each, then knurled areas of 245 mm each, then smooth areas of 150 mm each and finally one knurled portion at the center of the bar measuring 120 mm (there is no specific mention of such requirements for the ladies’ bar).
While the IWF insists that these measurements be adhered to, it is not uncommon for a bar that does not precisely meet these specifications to be used in competitions, even to be approved by the IWF. (Officials in weightlifting competitions are absolute sticklers about the weight of the bar being lifted— it must always equal, if not exceed, the weight announced—but there is often some latitude given in terms of some measurements, especially regarding the width of the knurled and smooth sections of the bar.) Therefore, the wise lifter always measures the bar he or she will be lifting in a competition to assure that his or her grip width will be the same as in training.
Specifications For The Plates. There are strict specifications about the weight, size and color of the plates that are used in competitions appear below:
| Weight of Plate (in kg.) | Color | Diameter | Width |
| 25 | Red | 45 cm | 6.7 cm |
| 20 | Blue | 45 cm | 5.4 cm |
| 15 | Yellow | 45 cm | 4.3 cm |
| 10 | Green | 45 cm | 3.5 cm |
| 5 | White | 23 to 26 cm | 2.65 cm |
| 2.5 | Red | 19 to 22 cm | 2.3 cm |
| 2 | Blue | 15.5 to 19.3 cm | 2.2 cm |
| 1.5 | Yellow | 13.9 to 17.5 cm | 2.0 cm |
| 1 | Green | 11.8 to 16 cm | 1.9 cm |
| .5 | White | 9.7 to 13.7 cm | 1.6 cm |
It is required that all discs have a clear indication of their weight. The 450 mm discs must be covered with rubber or plastic. (This is to protect the surface on which the lifters are performing from the shock of the bar being dropped; generally such rubber or plastic is an inch or more thick around the outside diameter of the plate, where most of the impact of dropping the weight is concentrated.)
The minimum weight that can be loaded on a bar under the IWF rules is 26 kg. for the men (the 20 kg.bar with a .5 kg. plate and a standard collar (for the women the minimum weight is 21 kg. using the women’s bar).
It is permissible to use 2.5 kg. or 5 kg. plates that measure 450 mm in American competitions through the national level. Such plates must comply with the IWF’s weight tolerances for a regular 5 kg. plate and the size tolerances for any 450 mm plate. If such plates are not furnished by the organizer of the meet, but are brought to the competition by an athlete or coach, the plates are impounded by the officials to be weighed. Once the officials have approved these plates, if they are used by their owner, they must also be available to any other competitors who wish to use them during the competition. If the owner should refuse their use to others who require them, the attempts of any athletes who used the plates are forfeited. Obviously, the purpose of this rule is to prevent a lifter who owns a set of 5 kg. plates from gaining a competitive advantage over one who does not (the lifter who lifts on plates with a larger diameter does not have to lift the bar as far and does not have to bend down as far to reach the bar—which are generally advantages).
The Collars. Outside collars are placed on the bar for every attempt that is made with the bar in competition. The combination of inside collars built into the sleeve of the bar and outside collars locked tightly on the bar for each attempt prevents the weights from shifting during the attempt and assures that the bar will be in balance. Each of the collars weighs 2.5 kg. Therefore, the men’s bar and collars alone weighs 25 kg. (or a little more than 55 lb.), while the women’s bar and collars along weight 20 kg.. Whenever the weight on the bar is announced in competition, it includes the weight of the bar and the collars. In the USAW, “spring collars” are permitted up to the point where regular collars can be placed on the bar. For example, when a female athlete is attempting the minimum of 21 kg. that is permitted in competition, it would consist of the bar and .5 kg. plates with spring collars – the minor weight of which is not included in counting the weight on the bar.
Loading The Bar In Competition
In competition, the bar is always loaded in a very specific way. The heaviest plates possible are always used first in loading every weight For example, if a male lifter requests 105 kg., the bar will be loaded with a pair of 25 kg. plates first and then a pair of 15 kg. Another rule is that the heaviest possible plate that can be loaded and still not exceed the weight to be loaded is always used first, then the next heaviest set of plates that can be loaded without exceeding the weight desired is loaded, etc., until the desired weight is achieved. In our example, a weight of 105 kg. could have been achieved by loading a pair of 20 kg. plates and two pairs of 10 kg. plates. However, the rule of loading the heaviest possible plates in succession would have been violated.
The final rule in loading the bar is that the plates must be placed on the bar in such a way that the referees can read the numbers indicating the weight of each plate. Most plate made today have numbers on both sides of the plate, but if plates with numbers only displayed on one side of the plate are used, the first set of plates on the bar are loaded so that the numbers indicating their weight are turned in to face each other. The next set of plates loaded on the bar, and every set of plates loaded thereafter, are loaded so that the number that indicates the weight of the plate faces out.
The Platform
The third piece of competitive equipment is the platform. All lifts in competition must be executed on the platform. As indicated earlier, both the lifter and the bar must remain within the platform’s confines while the lift is being made. No one but the lifter is permitted on the platform while a lift is being attempted. Between attempts, the only other people permitted on the platform are the loaders (to load the bar to the necessary weights and to clean the platform or bar as required) and the officials (to check on the condition of the platform or the bar if there is a reason to believe that either is not functioning properly).
The platform must be square, measuring 4 m on each side. When the floor around the platform is similar in coloring to the platform, its top edge of the platform must have a different colored line around it that is at least 150 mm in width (so that the lifter can easily see when he or she is at the edge). Internationally the platform is made of hardwood, domestically hardwood or smooth plywood is typically used. The platform’s height must be 10 cm (just under 4”).
On a practical level, there are three additional considerations involved in creating an acceptable platform. First, the platform must be absolutely flat. Nothing should ever protrude from the platform’s surface. While lifting heavy weights, lifters almost invariably move their feet in order to lower their bodies to catch the weight overhead or on the chest. If the platform is not flat, the athlete can catch a foot with disastrous consequences. Proper weightlifting technique and conditioning make the sport very safe, but when a lifter is handling heavy weights and moving quickly, a sudden severe twist or stop, which would generally be caused by an uneven platform, can result in a serious injury.
A second requirement is that the platform not be too smooth (i.e., slick). A slippery platform can be just as dangerous as one that is sticky or has something protruding up from it. That is why the rules permit covering the platform with a non-slippery material. To be safe, most lifters step into the rosin box that is generally at the base of the box in which chalk is supplied to the lifters.
A final practical requirement is that the platform be level. Lifters train on level surfaces and they generally have a heel on their shoes in order to assure balance and proper positions while lifting. Even if a platform is off by a small amount, it could affect substantially the performance of the athletes.
In the United States, it is difficult to obtain materials for the platform that are in metric dimensions (e.g., wood that measures 4 m). Therefore, platforms are often oversized, with a border of tape or paint to mark the platform’s boundaries. Under such conditions the outer boundaries of the platform are always the outside edge of the tape or painted line. The lifter’s foot and/or the bar may not be placed outside the outer edge of the paint mark or tape.
The Lifter’s Costume
There are very stringent rules in weightlifting competition concerning the athlete’s uniform. So stringent are the rules that there is an official whose primary responsibility during the competition is to assure that no part of any lifter’s costume is inappropriate.- the Technical Controller (TC). Moreover, when an element of the costume is found to be illegal, the officials may require that the athlete remove the offending piece of his or her uniform while the time that the athlete has been given to complete his or her attempt is counting down. This can be unnerving (if not disastrous) to the athlete, so any equipment that might raise a question on the part of the officials (rightly or wrongly) is to be avoided (if you are uncertain it is wise to ask the TC beforehand, so that anything that needs to be changed can be attended to before the clock begins to run on a lifter).
There are four primary reasons for the strict enforcement of the lifter’s dress code. First, the referees need to see the limbs of the body very clearly in order to judge the performance of the lifts properly. Second, the officials want to be sure that no athlete obtains any unfair advantage over his or her competitors by virtue of some supportive capability beyond what is specified in the description of the uniform below. Where no written rules exist with respect to some aspect of a lifter’s uniform, some examples of acceptable equipment are given. Where there is no specific rule regarding a portion of the uniform, the lifter is well advised to emulate what is widely accepted. When a lifter deviates from accepted standards, there is always a chance that an altercation of some sort may develop with the officials (who are only human and who may be confused and frustrated when some unusual item appears). Third, every effort is made to protect the health and safety of the athletes in competition. Parts of a lifter’s costume that could be used as a means of support could also present a danger to the athlete. The rules pertaining to the athlete’s costume are formulated in part with this kind of protection in mind. Finally, the officials want to assure that the athletes present a relatively aesthetic appearance to the audience. The following items are the required and/or permissible parts on a lifter’s costume.
Required Equipment: Every athlete is required to wear a lifting suit and shoes in competition:
Lifting Suit aka a Costume or Singlet. Every lifter is required to wear a one-piece lifting suit that is one piece, collarless, does not cover the elbows or knees.
Optional Parts of the Outfit – in addition to the required costume, the lifter may wear a unitard, t-shirt, shorts, socks, belt, bandages, sticking plasters, tape, gloves, palm guards, undergarments, jewelry/accessories, hair adornments and head gear. If a belt is worn, it must be outside costume and can be no wider than 12 cm. Bandages are non-adhesive wraps (usually made of gauze, medical crepe, neoprene/rubber or leather. One piece elastic bandages, neoprene/rubberized kneecaps, patella protectors that offer free movement can be worn on the knees but they may not be reinforced by buckles, straps, whalebone, plastic or wire. Bandages may be worn on the inner side of the hands and may be attached to the wrists but not the bar. Any bandage worn on the trunk must be worn under the costume. No bandages, tape or substitutes are allowed within 10 cm. of the elbow area (5 cm. above and 5 cm. below the elbow). Sticking plasters are small adhesive bandages usually made of woven fabric, plastic or latex rubber with an absorbent pad, to protect small wounds. They can be worn on the fingers and thumbs but must not protrude in front of the fingertips or be attached to the barbell. Tape is made of rigid cotton or rayon known as athletic tape, medical tape or sport tape. It can also be elastic therapeutic tape (Kinesio tape), which is an adhesive elastic cotton strip of any color. Like sticking plasters, tape may be worn on the fingers and thumb but must not protrude in front of the fingertips and be attached to the wrist, but never the bar. Tape may be worn under any part of the athlete outfit except the elbow area. Gloves may only cover the first knuckle of the fingers. If a sticking plaster/tape is worn on the fingers there must be a visible separation of it and any palm guard or glove.
Only one unitard (which can be one ore two pieces) can be worn under the costume and it must be tight fitting, collarless, may be of any one color (no pattern or design permitted). Only one t-shirt may be worn under the costume and it must be collarless and not cover the elbows, Only one pair of shorts may be worn under the costume and they must not be longer than the costume. They must be tight fitting and not cover the knees. A t-shirt and shorts may not be worn instead of the costume. Hair and any items worn on the head are considered part of the head (so if the bar touches them it will be judged a no lift). Personal electronic devices are not permitted (with the exception of medical equipment such as hearing aids}. The IWF limits manufacturer’s identifications on garments (such as patches on logos) no larger than 500 cm2.
Athlete Bibs – Athletes are required to wear bibs (e.g., patches) which are pinned on one leg of the athlete’s costume (on the side) with four pins. They can measure between 100 and 150 cm2. They must have numbers running from 1 to 18 to correspond to the numbers assigned to the lifters in a given session.
Other Official Equipment of the Competition
In order for the officials of the competition to properly supervise it, they require certain equipment. At major international competitions such as the Olympic Games, World Championships, Continental or Regional championships (e.g., the Pan American Games), the following equipment is required.
Electronic Light System
All major competitions are conducted using an electronic light system with four major components.
1. Three Sets of Decision Lights. Each set of decision lights has three white and three red lights placed horizontally in front of (but well away from) the platform (the lights arranged in a way that reflects the placement of the three referees who adjudicate the lifts). White lights signify a good lift and red lights no lift (the majority of the three referees prevailing). Another set of decision lights is placed so that the competitors are able to see it and the final set is placed so that the audience can see it. The decision lights are designed so that they only light up once all three referees have made their decisions with respect to a given lift. Once two of the referees have made a decision, the remaining referee receives an intermittent audible signal from his or her control box, signifying the need to make a decision. After the down signal is given but before the decision lights appear, the referees have three seconds to reverse their decisions (this gives the referees a chance to alter a decision when they have signaled “down” by pressing their white lights only to see the lifter return the bar to the platform in an illegal manner, e.g., by dropping the bar.) The decision lights appear only when all three referees have made their judgment and the aforementioned three seconds have passed.
2. Three Referee Control Boxes. Each of these switch boxes must have two push-buttons, one connected to that referee’s white decision light and the other to that referee’s red decision light. In addition, each box must be capable of generating an audible signal to the referee (such a signal is used by the jury that oversees the performance of the officials to signal a referee that they wish to discuss something with him or her).
3. One Control Panel. This panel is placed on a table in front of the jury. It includes a small set of lights that are similar in appearance to the decision lights, except that each light goes on as soon as a referee has made a decision, instead of lighting after all three referees have made their decisions regarding a lift (as the full-sized decision lights normally do). In addition, the control panel has a device that permits the jury to signal one or more of the referees to come to the jury table.
4. One Down Signal. This signal device emits both an audible signal (normally a loud buzzer) and a visible one (normally a light) which tell the lifter that the bar should be returned to the platform. The down signal must be placed on a stand in front of the platform so that the lifter can easily see it while the lift is being performed.
5. Jury Control Unit – This unit has five green and five red lights. Each jury member has a device with a red and a white button. When a jury member presses either the red or white button the green light illuminates. The red or white lights only illuminate once all the jury members have made their decisions.
At local events where no decision lights are available, referee decisions are presented using white and red colored paddles or similar devices, with the center referee signaling the lifter to put the bar down by raising then lowering one hand and simultaneously clearly and loudly saying “down”.
Scale
The official scale which is used to weigh the competitors must have a capacity of at least 200 kg. and must be precise to at least 10 g. The actual bo dy weight registered must be recorded, to an accuracy of 50 g. At major international competitions, a second scale identical to the first must be placed near (but not in the same room as) the official scale. This helps the lifters reliably control their body weights before they go to weigh in officially. A third scale is also supplied in the training area for the competition (this is necessarily required in the US).
Clock
At IWF competitions there must be an electronic clock which can: count “down” from at least fifteen minutes to zero; indicate ten second intervals or less; give an automatic audible signal thirty seconds before the end of a lifter’s allocated time to make on attempt; and display time simultaneously in the competition and warm-up areas as well as in front of the lifter who is making an attempt. The clock must be operated by a qualified official or automated system.
Forms
The following forms must be available for the running of the competition: a weigh-in list, competitor cards, competition protocols, a certification of the weight of the bar that will be used in the competition, record protocols, passes for the warm-up area and challenge cards.
Attempt Board
The attempt board is used to keep officials, athletes and the audience aware of the progress of the competition. It displays the name of the lifter who is currently making an attempt, the weight that is being tried and what attempt number that represents (i.e., first, second, third or fourth attempt outside the competition for a record). The attempt board must be constructed so that it is easily readable and placed so that it is easily seen.
Scoreboard
The scoreboard must be prominently placed in the competition area. Its purpose is to record and display results in specific weight categories (i.e., classes). It must have the start or “lot” numbers of each competitor; the competitors’ names in order of lot number; the body weight of each competitor; the athlete’s country (in international competitions) or club (in national or local competitions); spaces to display the three attempts made by the athlete in each of the lifts (shown in a way that enable the observer to determine whether each attempt was a good or no lift); the total made and the place obtained by the athlete.
Record Board
The record board is also placed prominently in the competition area. It displays the current records in the category and at the level of competition being contested, and sometimes higher level records. For example, at the World Championships the record board would show the current world records in a given weight class since there are no higher records. However, at the U.S. National Championships the record board might show the meet record (the highest lift ever recorded at that championship), the American Record (the highest lift ever recorded by an American) and the World Record. The record board also shows the name and country of the record holder. (In national or local competitions it might show the club of the record holder.)
Warm-up Area
A warm-up area near the competition area must be provided for the competitors. It must be equipped with chalk, platforms and barbells appropriate for the number of competitors. It should have loudspeakers that are connected to the competition announcer. There should be counterpart of the scoreboard, time clock and official’s decision lights in the warm-up area, so that athletes and coaches can follow the progress of the competition
Video Playback Technology (VPT)
At major international events, video playback technology is available to the Jury, wherein they can review and lift after it has been completed. This can be used by the Jury to judge the performance of one or more referees on a given lift, or to respond when a challenge card has been presented on behalf of an athlete. Then the Jury can either support the decision of the referees or overturn it.
The Structure Of A Competition
All competitions have at least four major phases: the Technical Conference and drawing of the lots, the weigh-in, the competition itself and the victory ceremony. At major international championships there is also an opening ceremony and a closing ceremony. Each of these phases will be described below.
Verification of Final Entries Meeting (Before the Competition Begins)
This meeting is generally held one day before the first day of most major international competitions (and national events as well). Here the final list of athletes who will represent a given nation (or Club at National events), including their names and category they intend to compete and their ID is verified. The competitors entered in a given category can be placed into one or more groups, based on their entry totals.Those with the highest totals are placed in the “A” session or group, those with the next highest totals in the “B” group, etc.) Then lot numbers for each athlete are drawn. Such lot numbers are ultimately used to determine order of the weigh-in (lower lot number finst). In local competitions (domestic competitions that are not national championships), lot numbers are generally drawn fifteen minutes prior to the beginning of the weigh-in for the first group of competitors. (Sometimes it is done fifteen minutes before the weigh-ins of each group of competitors who will lift together.)
In national and international championships each weight category, or sub-group thereof, generally lifts separately. At non-championships or at local competitions, different weight categories often perform at the same time, but separate scores are kept on the competitors in each weight category, so that athletes actually compete only against those in their own weight category.
The Weigh-In
The weigh-in is the period during which athletes are weighed in order to establish their official body weights for a given competition. The weigh-in begins two hours before the competition starts in the categories for which the weigh-in is being held. It lasts for one hour. If an athlete does not weigh-in at or below the bodyweight limits of the category in question (not higher or lower) the athlete is not permitted to compete in the category for which the weigh-in is being conducted.
Weigh-ins are held in private, with one athlete weighed at a time, and the body weights of all of the athletes are disclosed only after all athletes have been weighed. Competitors must weigh in in their costume (singlet). Males are weighed by male officials and females by female officials. Competitors are called in order of their lot numbers (any athlete who misses his or her turn is entitled to be weighed next after his or her return to the weigh-in area). There typically several officials present at the weight-ins at National and International events, but there could be as few as one at a local competition. All athletes must wear their weightlifting costume while weighing in. They may not wear shoes or socks or other garments. If they are overweight by up to 250 grams wearing their costumes they will be counted as having made weight (i.e., they will be considered to have weighed the class limit). However, any athlete who makes weight with the costume on will not have 250 grams deducted from their weight.
Each competitor must provide proof of identity in the form of a passport or other picture ID card at the weigh-in. Junior lifters who have any expectation of breaking any age- group records should always have an original birth certificate with them; photocopies are not acceptable as proof of age. An athlete can only weigh in once, unless his or her body weight exceeds or falls below the limits of the category (in which case he or she may be reweighed as many times as necessary, up until the end of the weigh-in period, in order to achieve a body weight within the prescribed limits). As a practical matter, reweighs are generally only permitted once every competitor has been weighed at least once. Because many athletes are anxious to eat and ingest fluids immediately after they weigh in (so that they will have as much time as possible to absorb what they have ingested) and because officials often have much to do after the weigh-in, athletes may sometimes feel rushed during the weigh-in process. They should cooperate with the officials and realize that dispatch is often necessary.
After the time limit on the weigh-in expires, lifters whose body weights are too low for the category are eliminated. Athletes whose body weights exceed the limit are permitted to compete in the next weight category if three conditions are met. First, the athlete must equal or exceed any qualifying standard (a minimum total made in official competition) that is required in order to lift in the next higher category. Second, the athlete’s body weight must fall within the body weight limits of the next category when the weigh-in for that category takes place. Third, in an international competition there can be no more than one competitor from that athlete’s country entered in the higher category in which the athlete wishes to compete. As a general rule, an athlete who makes a total in a given weight category is expected to be able to equal that total if he or she performs in a higher weight category. However, it cannot be presumed that the athlete’s total will go up if the athlete competes in a higher weight category.
Once an athlete has been weighed, the athlete, or the athlete’s representative, is required to tell the Competition Secretary what initial attempts in the snatch and C&J are planned. (The athlete or coach is permitted to change these first attempts twice after making their initial declaration.) Two changes in second and third attempts are also permitted once a competitor officially provides such attempts.
20 KG Rule
Since athletes are permitted to lift in a competition, and/or are placed in a given session on the basis of their Entry Total, they are required to declare and maintain first attempts that are no more than 20 kg. less than their entry totals. The first attempts planned by the athlete are recorded, along with the athlete’s body weight, on a weigh-in sheet. They are ultimately transferred to the competition card for that athlete. All athletes are required to having starting attempts in the snatch and clean and jerk combined that are no less than 20 kg. below their entry total. For example, if and athletes declared on Entry Total of 200 kg. and submitted starting attempts of 80 kg. in the snatch and 100 kg. that athlete would be permitted to proceed. However, if while warming up the athlete decided to reduce his or her opening attempt in the snatch to 75 kg. that athlete would be required to increase his or her starting attempt to 105 kg., so the minimum required total in the starting attempts would be maintained at 180 kg.
Start Number
After the weigh-in has been completed, all athletes will be assigned a Start Number for that session. That number is based on the lot numbers of the athletes in that session. So if the lowest lot number of any athletes in the session is the number 10, that athletes will be assigned start number 1. If the next highest lot number of an athletes in that session as 27, that athletes will receive start number 2, and so on.
Warmup Room Passes
At national and international competitions, athletes are permitted to have three warmup room passes (one for themselves and two for coaches helping them). If there are two athletes from one team, a total of four passes will be permitted. , five passes are permitted (three at domestic competitions).
The Presentation
Typically fifteen minutes before the beginning of the competition in each group or category, all of the athletes line up in order of lot number and march onto the stage or the area in front of the platform that will be used for the competition. Each athlete is then presented to the audience. Once all of the athletes have been introduced, they leave the platform together to warm up and a 10 minute countdown clock is started. At this point, the officials of the competition are introduced. The first lifter of that session will be called to the platform once the 10 minute countdown has finished.
The Chief Marshall and Marshal’s Table (and local competition exceptions)
The Chief Marshall oversees the progress of the competition, largely through the work of Marshals positioned at a table that is backstage, adjacent to the competition and warmup areas. The Marshals sit at a table upon which the competitor’s cards prepared at the weigh-in sit. These cards resemble index cards. They have the athlete’s name on them (and generally the athlete’s body weight and lot number as well). They also have spaces to record each of the three attempts an athlete requests on each lift. If an athlete or coach wishes to change the amount of weight requested for an athlete’s next attempt, that coach approaches the marshal’s table, notes the change on the appropriate space on the athlete’s card and initials it. At this point the Marshal communicates the change to to the appropriate other officials (especially the Announcer, who must be aware of the change so that the correct order of lifting can be maintained and announced to other officials, the loaders who load the barbell to the appropriate weight, the other competitors and the audience. Athletes/coaches have the right to change the weights they request twice from their initial request, providing that the weight requested fits within the rules of the competition (e.g., the weight on the bar can never be reduced once a lifter has made and attempt at that weight).
The Competition and the Speaker (Announcer)
An announcer is appointed for each session. That announcer’s job is to tell the audience and everyone else the name of the next lifter appearing to the platform, which country/club the athletes represents (if any), the amount of weight that lifter will be attempting, what attempt number that is for the lifter in question (i.e.., a first, second or third attempt). In the US, as a courtesy, announcers often announce the next athlete up in the order as “on deck”.
During the competition the bar is loaded with progressively heavier weights, beginning with the lightest weight to be attempted in the competition in that session on that lift. The weight on the bar can never be reduced after at least one lifter has either actually attempted to lift the bar or has been called to the bar and has thirty seconds or less remaining on the clock to make his or her attempt. The only exception to this rule is when some kind of error by the officials has caused a lifter to miss taking an attempt at the proper time. Reducing the bar is never permitted as a result of a mistake by a lifter or the lifter’s coach. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the lifters and coaches to follow the progress of the loading of the bar and to be ready to make an attempt when the weight he or she has chosen is on the bar and that athlete has been called to the bar. (An athlete is only entitled to be called to the bar once for each attempt he or she has requested.) Only multiples of 1 kg. can be asked for during the competition. And if a lifter or coach makes no request after an athlete has made an attempt, it will automatically be assumed the athletes wants the minimum increase of 1 kg. (the amount can be changed if clock has not wound down to 30 seconds or less before the athlete requests the change).
One minute (sixty seconds) is allowed for an athlete to make his or her attempt with a weight once he or she is called by the speaker to the bar. This call does not take place until the bar has been loaded to the weight requested by the lifter, the bar has been positioned properly on the platform by the loaders (generally at the center of the platform with the bar parallel to the front edge of the platform) and the loaders have left the platform. It should be noted that the lifter or coach can request that the bar be placed to the front or rear of center; such a request should properly be made of the Technical Controller, the official responsible for seeing that the bar and platform are positioned and working properly during the competition. An attempt in this context means that the bar has been raised at least to the height of the athlete’s knees by the time the clock has run down to zero. If, following his or her attempt, an athlete requests another attempt and is called to the platform next, that athlete is given two minutes (120 seconds) to make his or her attempt. If another athlete is called first in the order, the athlete waiting to repeat will only have 60 seconds to begin his or her lift.
For all attempts, there is a warning buzzer when the clock has counted down to thirty seconds remaining. No changes in weight are permitted after the thirty second warning, and the athlete cannot take more than the remaining 30 seconds to begin his or her attempt (get the bar at least to the height of his or her knees). Therefore, once the clock has reached the point where there are 30 seconds remaining, the lifter has used one of his or her attempts, regardless of whether he or she actually attempts to lift the bar during the time remaining.
In international competitions between individuals or teams in which athletes in different weight categories are competing at the same time, competitors may lift alternately (with the lifter attempting the lighter weight starting first and the same order being maintained throughout the competition on that lift).
Once the speaker has announced (at the request of the athlete or the athlete’s coach) that a competitor has decided to decline an attempt or to withdraw from the competition, the decision cannot be reversed. During any competition held on a raised platform or stage, no one but the jury, officiating referees, speakers and technical officials (e.g., the Technical Controller, the official operating the clock), medical staff and competitors in the specific group or category are permitted around the platform or stage.
The Order of Calling the Lifters for Their Attempts in the Competition
During the competition lifters are called to the platform to make their attempts in a very orderly fashion. A thorough understanding of this ordering method is essential if an athlete is to time his or her warm-ups so that he or she will be at a peak when called to the platform.
Four factors are considered in determining the order of competitors. They are, in order: the weight on the bar (lower weights first), the number of the attempt (i.e., first, second or third – lower numbers first), the differences between the previous weights attempted by each lifter and the current attempt (the lower the previous attempt the sooner the lifter waiting goes) and the athlete start number (athletes tied in every other respect go first if they have a lower start number).
In all weightlifting competitions sanctioned by the IWF or USAW, there is at least a ten minute break between the snatch and C&J. This period allows the competitors to warm up for the C&J and enables the officials to take a break.
If an athlete does not make any attempts in the snatch (the first lift contested), that athlete is permitted to C&J. Any individual awards and/or team points attributable to that athlete’s C&J will count. Similarly, an athlete who has no score in the C&J, but who has had at least one successful attempt in the snatch, is eligible to receive any appropriate individual award or team points on the basis of his or her performance in the snatch. However, any athlete who fails to make a successful snatch or C&J cannot receive any individual awards or score any points toward the total (even in the unlikely event that the weight lifted by an athlete in the snatch or C&J alone was greater than a total made on both lifts by another athlete).
When two or more competitors lift the same weight in either lift or the total, the athlete who succeeded first with the weight is question is placed higher in that lift.
The Officials of the Competition
I have heard the comment more than once that there are more officials than athletes in some competitions. While this is rarely the case, a rather large number of officials is required to run a weightlifting competition properly. However, athletes and coaches should remember that virtually every official present at any competition is a volunteer. Most officials receive little of any remuneration for the act of officiating (although the travel and room and board expenses of some officials are paid for at some major events). The USAW pays officials from $5 to $20 for sessions they officiate at during National events, certainly not a king’s or queen’s ransom.
Although the officials may appear cold and menacing to some athletes, they are all dedicated to a single proposition: that athletes are entitled to a fair and expeditiously run competition. Lifters and coaches would do well to remember this fact the next time they become frustrated with the officiating at a particular meet. Criticism, where appropriate, need not be withheld, but it may never be communicated to the referees during the competition, with the exception of using the “challenge” provided to athletes at major competitions, The athletes receives one such card during the weigh-in for the competition. Should that athlete (or the athlete’s coach) think there was an inappropriate call by the referees, they can submit their challenge card to the competition’s jury “if there is one). If the jury agrees with the challenge, the decision against it can be reversed and the challenge card is returned to the athlete for use at a later attempt in that session. If the jury decides against the challenge, the card is not returned and no further challenges or permitted by that athlete during that session.
After the competition, once the officials have stepped down from their official responsibilities, most are willing to discuss their decisions freely (though they are not required to do so). Such discussions can often help a lifter to clear up a misunderstanding with respect to the rules and to prevent a repetition of such a misunderstanding.
There are generally two or more layers of official authority to oversee the competitions. This multi-level approach assures the proper application of the rules.
Officials at international competitions can be easily identified by their required dress. The referees, doctor on duty, jury members and Technical Controller must all wear a blue jacket with an IWF badge on the pocket (at national championship events or below, the officials are expected to substitute the emblem of their national federation), a white shirt, an IWF tie and gray trousers. The Competition Secretary and timekeeper generally wear similar attire as well. In very hot weather, with the permission of the jury, the jacket may be removed. The uniform of the continental federations may also be worn at Continental Championships, and at the Olympic Games only the official uniform of the Olympics may be worn. Since the referee’s uniform is quite formal, it is often modified at competitions below the national level. Nevertheless, as will become obvious as the description of officials proceeds, it is always easy to spot referees by virtue of their location and functioning at the competition.
In a broad sense the scorekeepers, scoreboard attendants, loaders, timekeeper (the person who operates the official clock that times each lifter’s attempt), announcer and marshalls are all officials of the competition. However, when the rules speak of officials, they are generally referring to officials who can and do exercise considerable judgment during the competition, as contrasted with those who administer the event (the six categories of officials that were mentioned above). There are five categories of officials who render judgments at most major competitions: jury, Competition Secretary, Technical Controller, referees and doctor on duty. When there are not enough officials present to fill all of the required positions, certain functions are combined to assure that all important tasks are attended to there are always three referees, however.
Jury
The jury is the highest level of authority at weightlifting competitions. Its function is to assure that all technical rules are followed, with a particular emphasis on the performance of the referees. The president of the jury is able to signal one or more of the referees durinhhhg the competition, via the referees control box, to come to the jury table. After warning a referee of some mistake in officiating during the competition, the jury may, by a unanimous vote, replace a referee who is making what are considered to be incompetent decisions. The impartiality of referees cannot be questioned, but if a mistake is made involuntarily during the competition, the referee is given an opportunity to explain it.
At major international competitions all members of the jury must be Category I international referees (the highest category in the world). All members of the jury must be from different countries. Before Olympic and World Championships two juries are appointed to serve on alternate days. At Olympic and World Championships there are five members of the jury, one of whom is appointed president of that jury. Reserves may also be appointed.
After the competition jury members submit opinions of each referee’s performance on forms that are collected by the Technical Controller (TC). The results are summarized and registered by the TC and the General Secretary of the IWF.
When a decision contrary to the technical rules has been made by the referees, the jury can, by a unanimous vote, grant an additional attempt to the athlete. Despite its level of authority, the jury can never reverse the decisions made by a referee, although they can relieve a referee of his or her duties if they feel that it is appropriate to do so. In addition to granting an extra attempt to the athlete when the decisions of the referees are subject to question, the jury and Competition Secretary (in conjunction) may grant an extra attempt to the athlete when there has been an error in loading the bar or if the weight has been incorrectly announced. For example, if the bar has been loaded evenly on both sides and to an increment of 1 kg., but is lighter or heavier than requested by the lifter, the lifter may accept a successful attempt and be credited with the weight actually lifted. If the lifter refuses to accept an improperly loaded or announced weight, the competitor is automatically granted another attempt with the weight originally requested. It the bar is not loaded evenly, there is a change in the bar (e.g., some plates come loose and change position during the lift) or the platform becomes disarranged, the competitor/coach may request an additional attempt (which request the jury may agree to grant). If the bar is not loaded to an increment of 2.5 kg., another attempt is automatically granted.
Regardless of the conditions at the competition, it is the responsibility of the athlete and coach to follow the progress of the competition and to be ready to lift when appropriate, even if there is a failure on the part of the speaker to call the athlete to the platform at the proper time. However, when the warm-up area is so far from the platform and communications between the speaker and the warm-up area are so poor that the competitors and their coaches cannot reasonably follow the progress of the competition and the speaker fails to call the competitor at the proper time, the bar can be reduced in order for the competitor to take his or her attempt with the weight actually called for.
The jury must be located in a position where the jury members’ view of the lifter is clear and unobstructed (yet is similar in vantage point to that of the referees). Typically their position is between the chief referee and either side referee and somewhat further away from the platform (so that they can easily observe both the lifter and all three referees). Before the competition the referees’ cards and those of the TC are placed on the jury table. After the competition it will be noted on the TC’s and referees’ cards (referred to as “licenses” by the IWF) that they officiated in that competition. This is important to the referees because they must referee in a certain number of competitions each year in order to maintain a current referee’s license.
Competition Secretary
A Competition Secretary (CS) is appointed for all competitions. The CS is responsible for the running of the competition in cooperation with the jury and the TC. At World Championships, the General Secretary of the IWF (GS) is the CS. The CS verifies the list of competitors and, if necessary, divides them into groups according to the best results they have supplied. The CS also draws lots for each competitor at the Technical Conference, records the body weights of each athlete during the weigh-in and issues warm-up room passes for the personnel who will assist each athlete during the competition. During the competition the CS supervises the order of the lifting and registers any new records made during the competition, including any records made on extra attempts.
Technical Controller
The Technical Controller (TC) is appointed to assist the CS in supervising the running of the competition. In international competitions the TC must hold a Category I international referee’s card. At World Championships the Technical Committee appoints the TC, and at the Olympic Games the Executive Board appoints them (two per category). In other international games or tournaments, they are appointed by the official IWF delegate. The TC attends the weigh-in to assist the CS in verifying the identity of athletes, as well as registering the names and body weights of the athletes. The TC is responsible for checking all of the competitive equipment (e.g., platform, bar, scales, electronic referee lights, clock, warm-up room and other facilities) as well as the costumes of the athletes and officials. The TC also assures that only the accredited number of team officials accompany athletes near the competition area. The TC is responsible for seeing that while the athlete is on stage, no one (including the TC) is seen in that area by the audience and/or any TV cameras. The TC controls the cleaning of the platform and bar, if required. He or she also assists the Doping Commission, if requested. At the end of the competition, the TC collects the referee inspection forms from the jury and gives them to the CS for recording.
Referees
The main task of the referees is to adjudicate the lifts done during the competition. Every referee at international competitions must hold an IWF referee’s card issued to him or her at the national federation’s request. No referee may officiate outside his country without an IWF license.
In order for a referee to receive an international license, he or she must have first been a national referee for at least two years and must be proposed by his or her national federation. (The USAW will only propose the promotion of referees who are considered to be “active” within the USAW; “active” means that the referee is officiating in at least two USAW competitions a year.) The referee also must have a complete knowledge of the IWF technical rules and must demonstrate that knowledge in an exam organized by the IWF or in an IWF authorized exam organized by the national federation.
There are two categories of international referees, Category II and Category I. Category II international referees are permitted to officiate at international tournaments, regional games and continental championships. Category I referees are permitted to officiate at all events that Category II referees are able to officiate in, as well as the Olympic Games and the World Championships. Category I referees are also able to serve on the jury or act as a TC at international competitions.
A chief and two side referees are appointed to each category or group at all competitions under IWF rules. Before the competition referees ascertain, under the guidance of the TC, that the competition equipment is in order and that the competitors weigh in within the limits of the category during the weigh-in time.
During the competition the referees ascertain that the weight on the bar agrees with that announced by the speaker. They also assure that no one but the lifter touches the bar during the execution of a lift and that only the lifters or loaders move the bar to a new position on the platform prior to making an attempt at a lift. If the TC asks the loaders to move, adjust or clean the bar or platform, the clock is stopped until the loaders finish. If the lifter moves the bar to a position where the view of a referee is impaired, that referee may move to a point where the lift can be observed correctly, after which the referee returns to his or her normal position in order to render a decision. The referees also assure that any record disks available for use during the competition are on the chief referee’s table.
Electronic lights are used at major international competitions. If there is a malfunction in these lights or they are unavailable, the chief referee gives a “down” signal by saying “down” and at the same time motioning downwards with the arm. White lights signify a decision of “good lift” and red lights signify a decision of “no lift.” Small white and red flags can substitute when lights are not in use; the appropriate flag is raised to signify the referee’s decision. (When flags are unavailable, the referee gives a “thumbs up” signal for a good lift and “thumbs down” for no lift.) When there are no decision lights to generate a down signal, the side referees signify their recognition of a fault during the course of a lift by raising either hand. If two referees agree that a fault has been committed, the chief referees gives both the visible and audible down signal. Where there is no TC, the referees must do the TC’s job as well as their own. Referees may not receive any documents concerning the progress of the competition and must abstain from any comments on any lift. In addition, they must not attempt to influence the decisions of other referees during the competition. After the competition the referees sign the official score sheets of the competition, protocols, record certificates, etc., and collect their referee cards (which have been noted and signed by the jury president).
At World Championships or Olympic Games, two referees from the same country may not judge the same category. Three months before the World Championships, each national federation may submit names of two Category I referees. The Technical Committee selects from this list of referees. The number of referees to be selected is based on the committee’s knowledge of the extent of the program of the championships. National federations are advised of the appointment or non-appointment of their candidates. The referees selected are assigned to categories or groups by the Technical Committee at the site of the championships before the competition begins. Referees for the Olympics are selected by the Executive Board, based on names submitted by the national federations six months prior to the Games.
Timekeeper
At all international events a timekeeper must be appointed. The timekeeper must be a Category I or II referee.
Doctors on Duty
At major international competitions, doctors are appointed to be on duty in each body weight category. These doctors are to be present from the weigh-in to the end of doping control for that category. They are expected to know and to use available medical facilities, to cooperate in taking samples for doping control, to be prepared to render care for injury or illness, to cooperate with team doctors and to advise coaches, officials and athletes on the possibility of continuing the competition after injury. The doctors authorize the application of additional plasters or bandages during the competition. At World Championships there are to be two doctors on duty at the same time (if necessary, team doctors may assist doctors on duty). At the Olympic Games only IWF appointed doctors can be doctors on duty, two per category.
At all World Championships and the IWF World Cup competition, primary medical care of all competitors and officials for any disease or injury that occurs during the event must be furnished. A properly supplied medical room must be made available at the competition. Primary care should also be available twenty-four hours a day. The cost of such care must be borne by the organizing committee for the event (though the organizing committee can arrange for reimbursement from the insurer of any competitor or official whom it treats). When there is any doubt about whether the injury or illness for which treatment has been requested actually commenced during the event, treatment must be provided initially, and the issue can be brought to the attention of the IWF Medical Committee for further consideration (the competition organizers are not expected to bear the cost of treatment for chronic medical conditions, or those which existed prior to the event).
This aforementioned procedure is recommended for continental championships and games as well. At national events there is often a doctor on duty during the competition hours. If there is no doctor available, procedures to evacuate the athlete to a nearby medical facility are arranged.
Opening, Victory and Closing Ceremonies
At World Championships there are typically Opening and Closing Ceremonies, which are described to the participating teams ahead of time.
All competitions have Victory Ceremonies after each session of the competition (only after A sessions where the number of lifters in a given bodyweight category exceeds the number that can be accommodated in a single session for that category. During such a ceremony, the three medal winners and officials presenting medals march to the area of the platform. The speaker announces the name, country and result of the athlete who received the bronze medal (who mounts the appropriate step on the podium). The speaker then announces, in succession, the silver then the gold medalist. The national anthem of the champion is then played, while the national flags of the medalists are raised (in the same positions, right to left, as the winners on the podium). The medal bearers, athletes and officials, in that order, then walk out. The victory ceremony is to be carried out with due solemnity, with the participants marching in and out to music and interacting with each other and officials in a sportsmanlike manner.
Doping Control
Doping control, or drug testing, is recognized by all governing bodies of amateur sport as the key to maintaining a positive image for sport and assuring that all athletes compete on a level playing field (i.e., guaranteeing that no competitor has an unfair advantage due to the use of performance enhancing drugs). With regard to the sport of weightlifting, the IOC, IWF, USOC and USAW all delegate their doping testing to independent organizations that conduct the drug testing, in order to assure it is fairly and expertly conducted.
At national events, and out-of-competition in the US, the testing is done by an organization named USADA. Internationally it is conducted by the International Testing Agency, with oversight from by WADA. may all conduct drug testing both in and out-of-competitions. Doping controls are always part of major international weightlifting competitions, and virtually all national championships (i.e., Senior, Junior, American and Collegiate) and other designated competitions.
Doping control can be performed by urinalysis or blood analysis. Doping control personnel obtain the needed samples and assure their safe transport to the laboratory. A variety of doping and other officials may be present during the sample taking. The athlete is always permitted to be accompanied by a representative of some kind. Women take samples from women and the same is generally true for the men.
Athletes are informed in writing, sometimes on the entry and sometimes via a letter or form, of the requirement that they be tested. At a competition there are generally escorts who accompany an athlete immediately after the competition to an area provided for doping control. In international and national competitions there is a provision for athletes to attend a press conference prior to reporting for testing. In the United States the athlete is permitted to attend the press conference for 60 minutes before reporting to the testing area. Analysis of the sample is carried out in a laboratory approved by the organization that is conducting the testing.
The governing bodies take the issue of drugs in sport very seriously. Therefore, when there are patterns of abuse in a given sport, the IOC reserves the right to implement sanctions against the entire sport. Similarly, when a number of athletes from a particular nation are found to be positive on their drug tests, the IWF may take action against the entire national federation. For example, the IWF may fine or suspend any national federation which has three or more athletes who test positive for any banned substance in one year.
The actual list of banned substances has grown over time; several hundred are listed by the IOC today (and many more substances in the same classes of drugs are being banned, even if they are not specifically listed). This list is frequently updated. The major classes of banned substances are: central nervous system stimulants, anabolic steroids (which includes the natural hormone testosterone), narcotics, beta blockers and diuretics. While these may appear to be fairly “heavy” drugs, some relatively innocuous ones appear on the list, including many over the counter medications like cold remedies and even some health foods (e.g., certain herbs). To be safe, athletes should visit the websites of the organization(s) who will be testing them to be sure they are up to date with respect to what is banned and not. They should be very wary of supplements that claim to be clean as there have been quite a few instances over the years where company’s making such claims have produced products that have caused athletes to come up positive on tests.
In the US, USADA maintains a toll free “hotline” to answer any questions you might have about the acceptability of a particular substance. The current number is (800) 601-2632. They also have much written material on their website usada.org.
The USAW has a special out-of-competition drug testing program which requires that the top ranked athletes in the United States be subject to drug testing with no advance notice (those who wish to compete internationally must apply to be part of this drug testing program at least 6 months prior to the competition in which the athlete intends to qualify for an international competition) The athletes in this program are simply summoned by USADA to be tested, or are approached by a testing crew and asked to submit a sample immediately. Athletes are required to provide their “whereabouts” at school, work, the gym, etc. so that USADA can appear without notice to request a sample, Of course they also test at all national events.
Gender Identity and Testing
Gender identity rules are in a state of flux nationally and worldwide, so it is best to keep up to date on present rules by contacting the USAW.
Adaptive Competitions
The USAW and its predecessor organizations have permitted various degrees of adaptations for athletes for many years. For instance, a lifter named Anthony Vega earned medals and more than one Senior Nationals lifting with no fingers (only a thumb) on one hand. Another named Art Ehman competed at a national level while being blind and having to be led to the bar in order to perform his lifts. There were no formal rules about such things at the time, but the organization used common sense to make accommodations and then marvelled at what they saw.
Today, the USAW has a formal program of adaptive lifting the permits lifters to compete at the national level. Because specifics vary with the kind of adaptation needed, anyone interested is this kind of lifting should contact the USAW for guidance.
The Procedures for Creating World and Other Categories of Records
The IWF recognizes three kinds of world records: Youth, Junior and Seniors (the latter of which may also be set by Juniors and Youth age athletes) in each of the weight classes. Similar categories of records are also maintained on the national level (they are called American Records). Records in all of the aforementioned categories are recognized individually in the snatch, clean and jerk and the total. World Records (WR) are only ratified by the IWF when they are set at World Championships, international competitions and national championships that are included on the IWF Calendar of Events for a given year and which provide for doping control. Any record must exceed the previous on by at least 1 kg.
At the Olympic Games or Continental Games, Olympic or Continental Records (i.e., records for that competition) in both individual lifts and the total can be attempted.
For United States records, all referees who judge them must be at least National Level referees (except that one referee may be a referee undergoing testing to become a National Referee).
Qualifying to Lift in Various Competitions
Because weightlifting is a measurement sport (i.e., performance is measured by objective means), the procedures for qualifying to lift in various events are quite straightforward. For example, for competitions up to the national level conducted by the USAW, there are qualifying totals (minimum totals that lifters in each weight class must achieve in order to qualify). Typically, a qualifying total must have been made within a year of the event in question and no later than approximately one month before the event in question (a performance made in that same event the prior year is generally counted). In addition, all totals must have been made in events sanctioned by the USAW. The totals do not change much from year to year and are always announced at least two or three months prior to the event (often much earlier).
To compete in a USAW sanctioned event, an athlete must be a USAW member. To enter a particular competition, the athlete must complete an entry form provided by the meet organizer (typically online through the USAW). The athlete completes the entry, signs it (in the case of a minor, the signature of a parent or guardian is required) and submits the entry, along with the required fee. Although some meet directors accept entries as late as the day of the competition, most have a cutoff date that is anywhere from one to three weeks before the event. National events allow entries fairly close to the event but generally charge more for entries that are not submitted at least a month or so before the event.
To qualify for international events, US athlete must are selected by pre-published objective criteria. Any qualifying total in a competition which has drug testing (in a given year, the specific competitions to be used for selection purposes are announced on the USAW website. In addition, it is generally required that an athlete has been participating in the USAW’s out-of-competition drug testing program for some extended period (e.g., at least six months0 prior to the date on which the qualifying total was performed.
For many years there were no established standards for selecting athletes to represent the United States in international competitions like the World Championships or Olympic Games (or, if there were, the athletes were never told about the standards in advance). The athletes were simply told that a “tryout” would be held on a given day. The athletes then did their best to impress the selection committee on that day. The selection group, after viewing the event, would sit down together to pick the team. Often standards were established as the selection meeting progressed. One member of the committee might say, “athlete A should go because he is younger and has greater long term potential for our country than athlete B.” Then another selector might counter, “athlete B should go because he is older and this may be his last chance to represent the United States, while athlete A will have his chance again next year.” Still another selector might say, “athlete C should go because although he has not performed well today, he has a history of having done well in the past.” Finally, another selector might say, “I do not feel sure who we should select, why not have another tryout?” Needless to say, such discussions made for very long selection meetings. Far worse, they led to frustration and bitterness on the part of the athletes, who never knew what the selectors might be looking for on a given day.
Today, after many long battles to make selection standards more objective, the situation is far better. The USAW now generally selects athletes for international competitions in an exemplary manner, one that other sports would do well to emulate. Minimum qualifying standards are normally announced months in advance. Contingency plans for what will happen if too few lifters qualify are also announced. There is often more than one qualifying event, so if a particular athlete who is superior happens to be injured or otherwise indisposed on the day of a tryout, he or she may be given another chance (but all lifters know on what basis this will be done). Are the current methods perfect? No. Do the selection people occasionally modify standards for unusual circumstances? Yes. But the pre-announced standards tend to be more objective and all-encompassing with each passing year.
Summary
As can be seen from this discussion, the rules of weightlifting can seem fairly complex at times. Nevertheless, those rules, which have arisen through many years of trial and error, are designed to make the sport as fair as possible. Do not be intimidated by the rules, but do not ignore them either. Championships have been tragically lost by athletes and/or coaches who were ignorant of the rules. Get to know the rules, and they will become just one more tool to assure weightlifting success. As a first step in that process, become a member of the USAW. As a member, you will be able to participate in the USAW’s activities such as rules and coaching clinics. You will also receive Weightlifting USA, the official publication of the USAW, which will keep you informed regarding current rules, USAW policies and procedures. So join today by going to the USA Weightlifting website, contacting them via e-mail an info@usaweightlifting.com or calling (719) 578-4508.