USA Powerlifting

USA Powerlifting (USAPL) is the national powerlifting organization in the United States The USAPL sanctions local, regional and national meets in the country.^[1] The current president of the USAPL is Larry Maile.^[1]

"Similar" to the IPF, the USAPL is a drug tested organization and restricts the usage of equipment to single ply suits and shirts in the equipped division.^[1] The raw division of the USAPL allows wrist wraps and knee sleeves as well as a weight belt.^[1] In 2019 it announced that trans-women would not be allowed to compete as women.^[2]

In 2019, USA Powerlifting drew controversy when it deviated from internationally harmonized practices to impose a total ban on all female transgender athletes as well as all male transgender athletes undergoing hormone replacement therapy. Powerlifting published a 'Transgender Participation Policy' based on a paper published by Kris Hunt, an emergency physician from St Vincent's Emergency Hospital, Indianapolis with no qualifications as a sports endocrinologist. Powerlifting's policy provides:

"While the term discrimination is used to catch the attention of the public, it is most often misused. We are a sports organization with rules and policies. They apply to everyone to provide a level playing field. We have restriction [sic] such as age eligibility, who can compete as at our national events and so on. No, you are not discriminated against because you are a 40-year-old college student that is not allowed to compete at Collegiate Nationals. No, we are not discriminating against your 7-year-old daughter by not letting her compete. It is simply the rules of this sport that all must be follow if we are to be fair playing field [sic]. Another example, males are not allowed to use testosterone and to do so provides him [sic] an advantage."

^[3]

Powerlifting USA's publication appeared to be more ideological than scientific, claiming "The assertion of gender choice, although legal to change in parts of the world, does not erase the dimorphic differences of sex, formalized at birth..." The paper appeared to overlook several robust, peer reviewed studies showing that gender based advantages are clearly mitigated when (a) transgender men maintain testosterone serum levels in the healthy male range, and (b) transgender women have undergone at least two years of testosterone suppression. Instead, Powerlifting's study cited various studies of mice or athletes who are not transgender. Powerlifting's policy also contrasted with the International Olympics Committee 'Framework on Non-Discrimination' which provides that "Eligibility criteria should be established and implemented fairly and in a manner that does not systematically exclude athletes from competition based on their gender identity, physical appearance and/or sex variations. Provided they meet eligibility criteria.... athletes should be allowed to compete in the category that best aligns with their self-determined gender identity.".^[4] CJ Jones from Duke University published a 16-page refutation of Dr Hunt's study and the Powerlifting USA policy, calling it "...emblematic of the current trans-exclusionary attitude present in sports."^[5]

In November 2021, USA Powerlifitng was expelled from the International Powerlifting Federation over some of its policies.^[6] On January 14, 2021, female transgender weightlifter JayCee Cooper launched a discrimination lawsuit against USA Powerlifting in the District Court of Minnesota.^[7] In place of IPF World Championships, USA Powerlifting has started the USA Powerlifting Pro Series Circuit.

Age Divisions[]

Women & Men ^[8][]

• OPEN: From the day she/he reaches 14 years and upwards (no category restrictions need apply).
• YOUTH:
  • 1. From the day she/he reaches 8 years to the day before he reaches 10 years.
  • 2. From the day she/he reaches 10 years to the day before he reaches 12 years.
  • 3. From the day she/he reaches 12 years to the day before he reaches 14 years.
• TEEN:
  • 1. From the day she/he reaches 14 years to the day before he reaches 16 years.
  • 2. From the day she/he reaches 16 years to the day before he reaches 18 years.
  • 3. From the day she/he reaches 18 years to the day before he reaches 20 years.
• JUNIOR: From the day she/he reaches 20 years to the day before he reaches 24 years.
• MASTERS:
  • 1A. From 1 January in the calendar year she/he reaches 40 years and throughout the full calendar year in which she/he reaches 44 years.
  • 1B. From 1 January in the calendar year she/he reaches 45 years and throughout the full calendar year in which she/he reaches 49 years.
  • 2A. From 1 January in the calendar year she/he reaches 50 years and throughout the full calendar year in which she/he reaches 54 years.
  • 2B. From 1 January in the calendar year she/he reaches 55 years and throughout the full calendar year in which she/he reaches 59 years.
  • 3A. From 1 January in the calendar year she/he reaches 60 years and throughout the full calendar year in which she/he reaches 64 years.
  • 3B. From 1 January in the calendar year she/he reaches 65 years and throughout the full calendar year in which she/he reaches 69 years.
  • 4A. From 1 January in the calendar year she/he reaches 70 years and throughout the full calendar year in which she/he reaches 74 years.
  • 4B. From 1 January in the calendar year she/he reaches 75 years and throughout the full calendar year in which she/he reaches 79 years.

USAPL Open National Championships[]

Men's Open

Women's Open[]

Raw Powerlifting National Championships[]

The USAPL Raw Powerlifting National Championships have been contested since 2008. The Championships are broken up into the standard weight classes and age divisions (Teens, Juniors, Open, Masters). The Championships started out with around 150 lifters, but have now grown to over 1,000.

Teen National Champions

Junior National Champions

Open National Champions

Masters National Champions

See also[]

• International Powerlifting Federation
• International World Games Association
• SportAccord

References[]

External links[]

• Official USAPL website