REVISED Statement on IPF Article 14
Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU)
In 2024, we issued a position statement on Article 14. Since that time, we’ve had multiple conversations with CPU members expressing confusion and frustration at this IPF Rule. We have also had several conversations with IPF Executive Members during which the specific concerns of those members were discussed. This revised statement pulls in all of those consultations and it is hoped that this will make the muddy waters somewhat clearer. The parts that have changed since our last statement are bold and in green, for ease of comparison. We thank those who brought their concerns to our attention; your input and perspectives were immensely helpful in getting this situation clarified for everyone.
IPF Constitution Article 14 is a requirement for all member nations of the IPF and as such, the CPU, as an IPF Affiliate, is required to abide by it. The IPF have served notice that they will be enforcing Article 14 and as such, we want our athletes to know the lay of the land so as to make good choices and not encounter unexpected roadblocks.
What is Article 14?
The position of the IPF is set out in Article 14 of the IPF Constitution, which reads as follows:
Any athlete, coach, referee or official who competes or participates in an International Powerlifting or Bench Press event not organised, sanctioned, or approved by the IPF shall not be permitted to take part in any IPF international, regional* or national event for a period of 12 months from the date of that non-approved event.
Any athlete, coach, referee or official that participates in any competition or Event which is organised by a Sporting Body, Federation or Organisation that has not received recognition from the World Anti-Doping Agency and is thus non-compliant with the Code and International Standards shall be automatically rendered ineligible and shall not be permitted to take part in an authorised National or International Powerlifting or Bench Press Event for a period of 12 months from the date of the last non-compliant Event.
Article 14 is an IPF rule, not a WADA or CPU rule. The IPF have informed us that the second paragraph ought also to have had “Powerlifting or Bench Press” before “competition or Event” which alters the reading of it substantially.
* regional in this instance means “IPF Regional” as in NAPFs or Europeans.
Okay, but what does this mean for me as an athlete/coach/referee?
To summarise, it means that if you are a CPU registrant and choose to compete, officiate or coach with another powerlifting or benchpress federation or sporting body (including, but not limited to, USAPL, WRPF, 100% Raw, or other powerlifting organisations that are not affiliated with the IPF or WADA) you are not eligible to compete in competitions at National level or above for a 12 month period.
You are still allowed to register for and compete in local, provincial, or CPU-regional level competitions.
How does this affect International Team Selection processes?
Participation in a non-sanctioned powerlifting or bench press federation may remove your eligibility to be selected for Team Canada for a 12-month period. We will ask any athlete who is selected for Team Canada, or submits their interest in selection, to confirm that they are compliant with Article 14 prior to any final nominations being made. We reserve the right to withdraw an international selection should it become apparent that the athlete has competed in breach of Article 14.
As previously stated, athletes can make their own decisions about whether to participate in one or multiple federations, but they must be aware of the consequences of their choices in the face of this IPF rule.
But I only want to participate in local meets! Does this apply to me too?
If you wish to lift/coach/referee at the local level of the CPU, you are not restricted from participation in other federations. However, should you qualify for nationals and wish to compete at the national level, your choices of where to lift may impact your ability to do so.
So if I qualify for CPU Nationals and want to compete/coach/officiate/referee, how does Article 14 affect me?
If you are a CPU registrant and, after having purchased your CPU registration, you compete/coach/referee/officiate in an event run by another powerlifting or benchpress federation, you may not be able to compete/referee/coach at CPU Nationals or IPF International events for a period of 12 months. This restriction applies to athletes, coaches, handlers and officials.
Okay, but I also am a member of Powerlifting America (as an example). They’re IPF right? Can I still lift at Nationals?
As a lifter in the IPF, you can only lift for one country at a time. While Powerlifting America is an affiliate of the IPF, you cannot hold a full-fledged Powerlifting America membership AND CPU registration simultaneously. If you have been a PA athlete and want to become a CPU member, please contact the Board cpu-board@powerlifting.ca to have your release from PA processed so that you can become a CPU member in good standing. If you are a PA (or other IPF affiliate) member and wish to lift as a guest at our meets, you are welcome to do so after emailing the board for approval. Please allow lots of time for us to jump through hoops to get you clearance from PA!
I did a world-level meet in the Great Northern Canadian Liftopolis Fully-Geared Federation and the week after that I bought a CPU membership. Can I still qualify for and go to CPU Nationals?
Yes, the CPU and IPF do not have any jurisdiction over what you did before you became a member, unless it involves WADA violations in another sport. What you did before you became a CPU registrant is outside of our control and concern unless it involves an existing doping violation or suspension from a WADA-affiliated federation.
Who is policing this and how?
At present, we are asking lifters to confirm their own status as not having lifted in non-IPF powerlifting or benchpress events on applications for National Teams. The circumstances of each case will be looked at. If it is discovered that they have lifted in a non-IPF federation, it be dealt with on a case by case basis. If an applicant provides inaccurate information it may result in forfeiture of team positions.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
A key means of verifying who has done what events is openpowerlifting.org, which means that you can use whether an event will be listed in openpowerlifting.org as part of your decision making process.
If it’s not listed, we discount it. If it’s listed, we cannot ignore it.
Summary:
Participation*/ Membership in | Local, Provincial and CPU-regional Competitions | CPU Nationals | CPU International Teams |
CPU | OK | OK | OK |
Non-IPF Powerlifting or Benchpress Federation after buying a CPU membership | OK | ineligible for 12 months | ineligible for 12 months |
Other sport (WADA compliant or not, before or after you purchase a CPU card) | OK | OK | OK |
Participation (lifter, coach, spectator, official, volunteer) in a mock or fun meet held by a gym | OK | OK | OK |
Participation in High School competitions run by High Schools or School Boards | OK | OK | OK |
*Participation according to the IPF rule means athletic, officiating, coaching, or refereeing participation. The rule does not address spotting and loading, helping to set up for an event, spectating, or other similar roles.
If you have questions about this rule, please contact the CPU Board at cpu-board@powerlifting.ca or the IPF at office@powerlifting.sport .