The current, operating set of USA Powerlifting By-Laws has been correctly applied by the Executive Committee, with regard to (3) athletes who recently competed in a "professional" contest, receiving cash prizes.
However, our attention must be drawn to the dramatic shift within the Olympic amateur sports movement in the last 10 years with respect to this issue.
A specific goal of the USA Powerlifting By-Laws is for our organization to gain recognition as the "official" NGB representing the sport of powerlifting in the Olympics. Supporting By-Law language states that we are to "conform all of it's (our) actions so as to enable the Association to participate to the maximum extent possible in the competitive and other programs of the USOC, the world Olympic Games and the Pan-American Games."
The defining moment for USA Powerlifting to begin it's quest for Olympic recognition was a unanimous vote on the following item (motion 13) approved at the 03-01-1997 Special National Governing Body Meeting.
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"Give to the Law and Legislation Committee to review and draft the proposed By-Law changes needed to establish them in conformity with the requirements for USOC recognized National Governing Bodies. Definitions are to be referenced with the USOC Constitution and By-Laws, as established by Public Law 95-606, A Congressional action cited as "The Amateur Sports Act of 1978"."
The Olympic Sport definition of an amateur athlete in the USA has literally been overhauled. There can be little doubt that the government subsidies of athletes in many other parts of the world, as well as the lopsided commercial funding of professional vs. amateur sports has created this re-vamping of amateur definitions. There now appears no restrictive language in the USOC constitution defining the amateur athlete. The constitution simply defers the definition of an amateur athlete to the appropriate NGB. The USOC constitution does however require that no National Governing Body may have amateur status criteria that is more restrictive than that of it's affiliated International Federation. The subject of monetary awards, or sources of income for the athlete is not addressed at all.
Our International Federation, the IPF, has pledged to remove it's restrictive amateur definitions at it's next constitutional congress. It has even pre-empted it's existing policies by sanctioning the 1st monetary award meet held last winter in Orebro, Sweden. Further, the IPF Executive has issued a statement which acknowledges that bringing additional money and publicity into the sport is good for it's development.
Please consider these factors:
- USAPL's stated objective to become a part of the USOC.
- The USOC's change in amateur definition.
- The IPF's endorsement of monetary award competition.
Acknowledging the extreme significance of agenda item No. 13 passed at the 3-1-1997 special NGB Meeting, which refers explicitly to definitions, it is clear that USA Powerlifting must assess, and act, on it's position with respect to this issue.
It is my recommendation that all language restricting amateur athletes from competing for money be removed from the USA Powerlifting By-laws, including the removal of any description of the same as a sanctionable offense.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael W. Overdeer
USA Powerlifting President
