About the Sport

Powerlifting for athletes with a disability made its first appearance in 1964 at the second Paralympic Games in Tokyo as ‘Weightlifting’. Only men with spinal injuries participated with slightly different rules than are used today. Later it changed from ‘Weightlifting’ to ‘ Powerlifting’ and now the competition is open to all athletes with cerebral palsy, spinal injuries, amputees (lower limb amputees only) and les autres who meet minimal disability criteria. Women competed in this sport for the first time in Sydney in 2000. Powerlifting is the ultimate test of upper body strength. Competitors must lower the bar to the chest, hold it motionless on the chest and then press it upwards to arms length with locked elbows. The bench press is the only discipline with 10 different categories based on body weight. The athletes are given three attempts and the winner is the athlete who lifts the highest number of kilograms. Powerlifting is governed by the IPC and co-ordinated by the IPC Powerlifting Technical Committee, founded in 1989, and in 2008, is practiced in more than 100 countries.

Competition Description

Athletes with a minimum disability must be at least 14 years of age and must have the ability to fully extend the arms with no more than a 20-degree loss of full extension on either elbow when making an approved lift according to the rules for their bodyweight.

Men compete in the 48kg, 52kg, 56kg, 60kg, 67.5kg, 75kg, 82.5kg, 90kg, 100kg and +100kg divisions.
Women compete in the 40kg, 44kg, 48kg, 52kg, 56kg, 60kg, 67.5kg, 75kg, 82.5kg and +82.5kg divisions.

In Powerlifting, male and female athletes must assume a position with head, trunk (including buttocks), legs and both heels extended on a specially designed bench and maintain this position during the complete lift. An exception (must be ratified) can be accepted for medical reasons.
 
The bar is placed horizontally on two supports, adjusted on the left and right of the bench. The lifter may request the help of the spotter/loaders when removing the bar from the racks. After taking or receiving the bar at arms length, the lifter shall wait with locked elbows for the Chief Referee's signal. After receiving the signal "start", the lifter must lower the bar to the chest, hold it motionless (visible) on the chest and then press it upwards, with an even extension of the arms, to arms length with locked elbows. When held motionless in this position the audible signal "rack" shall be given. An immediate decision shall be given by the three nominated international referees through a system of white and red lights.

From the moment the name of the athlete is announced with name, country, attempt and weight on the bar, the competitor has two minutes to complete the attempt. Each athlete has three attempts. If an athlete wishes to make an attempt in order to achieve a record, they can make a fourth attempt.  Within a three-minute time limit instead of two.

Three referees assess the success of each attempt by choosing the white or red light. The lifting order within each round will be determined by the lifter's choice of weight for that round and the weights must be a multiple of 2.5kg with the exception of a new record. Between the first and second attempt, and between the second and third attempt, there must be a minimum increase of 2.5kg.

Ground for disqualification includes:

• Athletes not raising the bar upwards to full extension of the arms
• Athletes not making a synchronized move
• Athletes not maintaining the bar motionless on the chest
• Athletes not completing the attempt within the time limit
• Any change in the elected position on the bench during the lift
• Heaving, bouncing or sinking the bar after it has been motionless on the chest
• Any downward movement of the bar in the course of being pressed out
• Any contact with the bar by the spotter/loaders between the Referee's signals
• Failure to observe the referee's signals at the commencement or completion
• Failure to comply with the requirements of the general description of the lift

Sports Equipment

Discs: To have IPC Powerlifting approval discs must conform as follows:

• All discs used in competition must weigh within 0.25% of their correct face value.
• The size of the hole in the middle of the disc may not exceed 53 mm or be less than 52mm.
• Discs must be within the following range: 1.25kg, 2.5kg, 5kg, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg and 25kg.
• For record purpose, lighter discs may be used to achieve a weight of a least 500 gr. more than the existing record.
• Discs must conform to the following colour code: 25kg = red, 20kg = blue, 15kg = yellow, 10kg and under = any colour.
• All discs must be clearly marked with their weight and loaded in the sequence of heavier discs innermost with the smaller discs in descending weight arranged so that the referees can read the weight on each disc.
• The first and heaviest disc loaded on the bar must be loaded face in, with the rest of the discs loaded face out.
• The diameter of the largest disc shall not be more than 450mm.

The Bench: Athletes compete lying on a bench. The official bench is 2.1m long. The main part of the bench is 61cm wide. At the end of the bench and towards the head, the bench narrows down to 30cm. The height of the bench varies between 45 and 50cm from the ground.

History

The long tradition of Powerlifting in the Paralympics began at the 1964 Paralympic Games in Tokyo under the name "Weightlifting", where only lifters with a spinal cord injury were allowed to compete. Over the next few years, Powerlifting underwent a major transition to include other disability groups and incorporate rules identical to those of Powerlifting competitions for able-bodied. During the General Assembly in Barcelona in 1992, the decision was made to include only "Powerlifting" in the Paralympics rather than "Weightlifting".

The sport has since experienced rapid development as worldwide awareness and interest has improved. At the Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games, 25 countries participated in the Powerlifting competitions. This number more than doubled at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games, with 58 countries participating. Since 2000, that number has risen to a total worldwide membership of 115 countries on five continents. Powerlifting is one of the world's fastest growing Paralympic sports with more than 5,500 male and female lifters in the ranking lists.

Powerlifting has also reached out in terms of developing the women's event and has, since the first participation of female lifters in the Sydney 2000 Paralympics, dramatically increased in recent years to approximately 1,250 female lifters within 60 countries. It is evident that there is more room for further development in Powerlifting as the athletes are consistently improving their performance. World or regional records are constantly broken, and this is very exciting for the growth of the sport.