Powerlifting is an exciting, vibrant sport which is accessible to those of almost every age,gender and physical capacity. It is practiced in at least the 116 member nations of the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) and has many hundreds of thousands of individualadherents or athletes, coaches and officials worldwide. The underpinning of Powerlifting is in the gymnasiums of the world and this base level of participation provides an inexhaustible wellspring for our competitive sport.

It is puzzling then to many observers, as to why Powerlifting and its recognised governing body,the International Powerlifting Federation, has not been embraced more broadly by Games and other sporting organisations and the sporting public and media. The answer to this is myopia – the IPF has rested on the laurels of the inherent pluses of our sport and has not acted proactively to establish the distribution channels, marketing activities, development programmes and infrastructure bases which are necessary to strongly position our product.

The IPF thus needs cultural and functional change. This is in terms of no longer taking its position for granted and accepting that it must act to differentiate itself in the sporting marketplace as the provider of an exciting and fulfilling opportunity for the widest range of participants. This has to be done in the face of a number of challenges, such as generational changes in sport involvement, the doping issue and resource limitations in our volunteer-based organisation.

Thus, initiation of a strategic planning process is a key step forward for the IPF. The current document is the first formally adopted Strategic Plan for the IPF and is a milestone in our organisation’s development. It is expressed in terms of relatively broad objectives and actions, but is complemented by various operational plans and budgets held or in preparation by the
IPF.

I commend this Plan to be read by all as a comprehensive statement of the aims and challenges of the IPF. I also urge all those within the IPF to embrace this document and to act forcefully
and honestly to fulfil our Plan.

Yours
Detlev Albrings
President of IPF