Constitution of the
International Powerlifting Federation
Constitution and Bylaws also available in
format and
file
Constitution of the
International Powerlifting Federation
Constitution and Bylaws also available in
format and
file
Terminology
Unless specifically stated otherwise, the terms "Congress", "President" "Technical Committee" and such like shall mean the "IPF Congress", "IPF President", "IPF Technical Committee" etc.
Unless specifically stated otherwise, the terms "him", "his" and "Chairman" shall refer to persons of either sex.
1.1.1 The INTERNATIONAL POWERLIFTING FEDERATION hereinafter called “IPF” is an organisation founded in 1971. The Federation is composed of the affiliated National Federations governing the sport of powerlifting on the basis of one national federation per country.
1.2.1 The union of all eligible athletic clubs, organisations or other groups active in powerlifting throughout the world.
1.2.2 To develop standardized competitive rules.
1.2.3 Maintain a system for recognizing and approving records.
1.2.4 Establish administrative and technical committees from its own number.
1.2.5 Establish, define and enforce rules for the government of powerlifting internationally.
1.2.6 Promote, support and encourage drug free powerlifting.
1.2.7 Produce official bulletins and/or powerlifting publications.
1.2.8 Secure other national affiliates (countries).
1.2.9 Promote, sanction and supervise international development programs and competitions, including world championships and single lift competitions.
1.2.10 Maintain an IPF Congress of bona fide international representatives.
1.2.11 To further the cause of powerlifting and strive for acceptance by the International Olympic Committee.
1.2.12 To maintain membership of the General Assembly of International Sports Federations and take part in the World Games.
The IPF works for the purposes of this order for the benefit of the public in each valid version.
The members have no interest in the federation property. The members of this body work in an honorary capacity; the property of the IPF serves exclusively for charitable purposes of the sport. Any profits may be supplied only for statutory purposes. The members receive no shares in the profits.
No person may receive for an activity or task in the IPF, an unreasonably high reimbursement.
To the fulfilment of the federation tasks, necessary money is raised by:
a) Membership fees of the member federations, lifters and referees
b) Income of competitions
c) Sanction fees
d) Donations
e) Fees
f) Income from advertisements
g) Income from Internet Pay-TV
h) Miscellaneous income
An oblong octagon shield coloured bright red characterises the official emblem with an international powerlifting bar having three black discs on either end of the bar. The letters IPF in white shall be portrayed centrally resting on and above the bar with the letter "P" enlarged by half as much again over its fellows.
2.2.1 The flag of the IPF is the emblem on a white background.
2.3.1 The IPF emblem must not be used without the IPF's authorisation.
2.3.2 Only the IPF may authorise the fabrication of its emblem, badges, medals, etc.
3.1 The IPF is recognised by the General Association of International Sport Federations (GAISF) and the International World Games Association (IWGA).
3.2 In its activities, the IPF follows the Olympic ideal and principles and support and maintain the ideals and objectives of the Olympic movement. The IPF accept and recognize the Statutes and aims of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) and those of the World Antidoping Agency (WADA).
3.3 All political and religious discussions or demonstrations are forbidden within the IPF.
3.4 The IPF supports all initiatives by powerlifters for peace and understanding.
3.5 No distinction is made between continents, countries or individuals for reasons of race, colour, gender, religion or politics.
4.1 The official language of the IPF is English.
4.2 All the publications and reports of the IPF are in English. The proceedings of the meetings of the Executive and the Committees are held in English.
The membership of the IPF consists of national affiliates active in powerlifting. The IPF can recognise only one member (organisation) from each nation.
The recognition of a National Federation will be done in agreement with the Olympic Charter (Chapter 3, Article 26), and following the regulations contained in these statutes. The IPF will inform the NOC of the country in question.
The National Federations affiliated to the IPF must be independent inside their own country. The members of the Executive Committee and the President must be elected democratically, and have the nationality of the country concerned.
All affiliated Federations and their members shall recognise the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne as the only external body for jurisdiction
A new member nation must be affiliated to its regional federation before it can be affiliated to the IPF.
Only those lifters who are members of their respective national federation, association or organisation, can be considered eligible for membership.
Categories of IPF Membership:
5.1.1 Full Member
5.1.2 Provisional Member
A Provisional Member may only compete in world championships by the decision of the IPF Executive or in regional championships by decision of the Regional Executive or Regional President if no Executive exists. However, once granted permission, a Provisional Member shall have all competition rights but no vote. The Executive will be authorised to decide the amount of annual subscription required from a Provisional Member.
All countries applying for membership shall, on payment of the annual subscription fee, be granted provisional membership of the IPF subject to ratification at the next Congress.
The IPF is governed by a Congress consisting of a maximum of two delegates from each nation affiliate with one vote per country, and the IPF EC members with one vote each.
EC members are restricted to only one vote even as the officers cannot represent both their nation and the IPF Executive committee.
To have voting rights at the election Congress, an existing member nation must have paid the membership fee in the 4-year period every year prior to the election. New member nations must have paid their membership fee annually, from the year of their provisional membership.
The IPF is composed of the following bodies:
· the Congress
· the Executive
· the Committees
7.1.1 The Congress is the supreme governing body of the IPF.
7.1.2 The Congress shall meet annually one day before the start of the Men's and Women’s Open World Championships.
The Congress has the power:
7.2.1 To admit any national affiliate (country) eligible under the Constitution by means of a two-thirds majority of votes cast.
7.2.2 To prescribe and amend the constitution by a two-thirds majority of votes cast and the technical rules and the By-Laws by a simple majority of votes cast.
7.2.3 To impose and enforce penalties for any violation of the Constitution or By Laws.
7.2.4 By a two-thirds majority vote of members present, to remove any suspension or remit any penalty previously imposed on any person or organisation, being members of the IPF.
7.2.5 To remove from office by means of a two thirds majority vote, any person who through neglect of duty or misconduct has brought the IPF into disrepute or in any way impaired its function or development.
7.2.6 To establish dues of the IPF.
7.2.7 To control the income, expenditure and property of the IPF. In particular, it shall examine the audited balance sheet presented by the Treasurer and approve a budget for the forthcoming year.
7.2.8 To call and determine the time and place of special meetings of the Congress.
7.2.9 To institute, locate, conduct and manage all international powerlifting.
7.2.10 To establish, define and enforce rules for the government of international powerlifting.
7.2.11 To explain, define and interpret any provision of the Constitution.
7.2.12 To consider and accept proposed changes to the Constitution and By-Laws every fourth year in Olympic years.
7.2.13 To consider and accept major proposed changes to the Technical rules only in Olympic years, however, the Executive Committee may present one A4 sheet of proposed rule changes per annum to the Congress for the purpose of streamlining rules, reducing conflict between separate rules, and for the benefit of the athletes, as appropriate.
7.2.14 To ratify the IPF Anti-Doping Rules with amendments made into those rules by the Executive Committee.
7.2.15 To elect the executive officers of the IPF every four years. Elect executive officers to fill any casual vacancies, which may occur between such election years.
7.2.16 To form standing, ad hoc and sub committees and to elect the chairman of the same. The standing committees of the IPF shall include Medical, Technical, Disciplinary, Appeal and Women’s Committee.
Unless otherwise determined by the Congress, the annual meeting of the IPF will be held one day before the start of the Men's and Women’s Open World Championships.
Special meetings of the IPF are scheduled at the request of the President or at the written request of two thirds of the members of the IPF. Specific matters, except amendments to the Constitution, can be considered at a special meeting.
Time is of the essence. Not less than thirty (30) days notice must be given of any special or annual meeting of the IPF. The General Secretary will airmail a notice and agenda to all named delegates or their national federation. A notice sent to the last address known to the General Secretary complies with this requirement. The official agenda for the IPF congress must be received by all members at least thirty (with amendment 30) days before the congress takes place. Items not in the agenda cannot be considered in the Congress.
At all annual meetings of the IPF the following will be the order of business:
1) Roll Call
2) President's Address
3) Minutes of the last Congress
4) Treasurer's Report – Auditor’s report
5) General Secretary's Report
6) Committee Reports
7) Regional Report
8) Elections
9) Action on proposed amendments
10) New Member Applicants
11) Delinquent Nations
12) Hall of Fame
13) Future Championships
14) Any Other Business
15) Adjournment
At all meetings of the IPF, a quorum will consist of twenty per cent of nations in full membership.
The following are the procedural rules for all meetings of the IPF:
7.3.6.1 The Standing Orders of the IPF are the supreme document for all IPF meetings except when they are in conflict with the provisions of the Constitution. In such cases, the Constitution prevails.
7.3.6.2 A motion to table is debatable only when a time to debate is fixed by a simple majority of the Congress.
7.3.6.3 All amendments to the Constitution and the By Laws must be submitted to all national affiliates and the appropriate committee before it can be acted upon at the annual meeting of the IPF. Such proposed amendments must be in the hands of the General Secretary at least sixty (60) days prior to the date of the Congress. A national federation, a regional federation or the appropriate committee, can submit all such amendments. The General Secretary shall send out all such amendments at least thirty (3O) days prior to the date of the Congress for the attention of all national affiliates.
The following are required:
7.3.7.1 The names of all delegates to the Congress. Member Federations may designate a maximum of two delegates, preferably the President and the General Secretary. Delegates other than the President and General Secretary shall present a written authority of their national federation not later than the opening of the annual or special meeting.
7.3.7.2 Failure to make the proper certification will deny a seat at such meetings unless the delegate is accepted by a simple majority vote of Congress.
The Executive shall consist of the President, General Secretary, Treasurer and 6 Board members. The Regions (Continents) determine the 6 board members and the Executive elect one to act as Vice President. There shall be at least a quorum of four members. In the event of an impasse (stalemate), the President shall cast the deciding vote.
8.3.1 It shall be the governing body of the IPF between Congresses.
8.3.2 To maintain running control of the expenditure of the IPF, in accordance with the budget approved by the Congress.
8.3.3 It shall prepare a budget for the forthcoming year for presentation to the Congress.
8.3.4 Vacancies. In the event of the death, resignation or in case of inattention to duty by recommendation of the Disciplinary Committee, the various offices are to be filled as follows:
8.3.4.1 President: The Vice President will be designated by the Executive to succeed the President until the next Congress. At this Congress, the presidential successor shall be elected.
8.3.4.2 Vice-President: The Executive shall appoint a successor to serve until the next Congress.
8.3.4.3 General Secretary and Treasurer: The Executive shall appoint a successor to serve until the next Congress.