TECHNICAL COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER NO 2 2006

 

Lifter Bomb-Outs

 

Question:  How does the International rule allowing lifters to remain in the contest for a medal in a discipline after bombing in another affect " lesser " meets.

Although the IPF have little or no control in which meets other than Internationals are conducted, it is generally accepted that Meet Director's will apply the same ruling at their contests.

It has been suggested that if no awards are presented for each discipline and the lifter bombs, then he/she cannot continue.  Not so.  Some may say that there is no point, but to many budding lifters it is an added incentive.

Why would those concerned not wish to offer awards?  Perhaps it is felt that too many awards will cheapen the contest if there are too few lifters.  If it is a matter of cost, then surely this is miserly.  What price a certificate ( the alternative ) 1 euro, a dollar, to create more lifter interest.

 

Ratchet Belt

 

In a recent issue of Powerlifting USA Magazine a full page advertisement by one of our prominent licensees illustrates and describes a belt with a ratchet fastening.  The same type was forwarded to and rejected by both the T.C. and E.C. two years or so ago, and made known in our newsletter.  It is not legal for use in IPF competition.

 

Over 60 Women / Over 70 Men World Records

 

The list of minimum attainments published on the IPF site and in the T.C. Newsletter has been questioned by one or two

( not lifters of these age groups may I add ) that they maybe a little too high. On what basis this conclusion has been drawn I know not.  Perhaps every weight class potential cannot be measured, but as a matter of interest and as an example I contacted one particular G.B. lifter in his mid 70's who says he is capable of squat, deadlift and total records on second attempts.

Should Regions and Nations wish to establish lists for these age groups perhaps e.g. 5 to 10 percent lower than the list of World Records,  then it is their choice.  Let us be realistic, every competing lifter cannot be expected to achieve a World Record.

Incidentally, apparently quite a few of the listed achievements have been broken.  There has been one change to the published list.

Women 0/60  90 kg's Bench Press   -  120.5 kg's  originally 122.5 kg's

 

Splitting into Groups

 

A preliminary dividing is often done prior to weigh-in by the Technical Secretary, but in Part One of the Category 1 Referee Exam

the examinee is expected to carry out this duty.  It is part of the test.  Many struggle with this and other aspects of the paper work  scoring few points in this section.

It is important that lifters know in which flight they are lifting at the very latest fifteen minutes before lift-off.

 

In the role of Technical Secretary at the Men's Open in Miami November last I had posted groups A and B seperately for a particular weight class.  A tearful lady coach approached me to say that her lifter who was in Group B and by squat attempt was likely to lift first had not been called to weigh-in, even though the whole weigh-in was almost complete.  Obviously the B Group lifting first should now be in the warm-up room.  The referees were mistakenly  weighing in by lot order alternating between A and B Groups.  Lots having been drawn before the division, numbers would not now be following each directly.  Unfortunately the wrong procedure affected her lifter in as much as he had been drawn twenty one with just twenty three lifters in the contest.

B Group will weigh-in first regardless of lot numbers becoming " staggered ".

 

Major proposals to date

 

In this year of proposed changes to the Technical Rules the following are some of the major items to be discussed by the Technical Committee and Executive Committee in Hungary in May.

 

    Delete fourth attempts

    Records to be included in disciplines and total

    Records - Minimum increase 1 kg

    World Record attempts at National to International Competition only

    No change of weight class after Technical Meeting

    One World Bench Press Record ( although previously rejected still a matter of concern )

    Bars - Universal markings

    Rule book - Reduction by volume?

   

World Games 2009

 

A letter from the organising committee of the World Games to be held in Kao-Hsiung Taiwan requesting information on the staging area, indicates the pro-active approach they are taking in preparation for the games three years hence.

 

Re-Wording of Rule

 

ORDER OF COMPETITION

 

The round system  - Page 24

 

( m ) . . . .  . 

 

However, these are only permitted provided that the lifter has not been called to the bar already loaded to his previously submitted weight, by the Speaker. 

 

The sentence beginning - If, the bar is declared " Ready "  . . . . . can be deleted.

 

This is to conform with that of:-  Responsibilities of the Officials are:  Page 24 ( a ) which says . . . . To clarify -

when the Speaker has announced that the bar is  "ready/loaded" then the lifter is committed to the attempt.

 

John Stephenson

Chairman IPF Technical Committee