USAPL Vice President
Larry Maile
|
Vice President's Message
April 22, 2002
Celebrating our Junior and Master Lifters:
These past two or three months have been an exciting time for USA Powerlifting. In February, we held our most successful Women's Nationals ever. This was due in large measure to the participation of our Teen, Junior, and Master lifters. High School Nationals was held in March, and Collegiate Nationals this month. These competitions were attended by 425 and more than 200 lifters, respectively. More than 600 young lifters competing in one month, and these numbers do not include those young athletes lifting at State and local levels meets. How great is that!
I just returned from the 2nd World Master's Bench Press Championships in Killeen, Texas. This was the first world championships held in the U.S. since 1985, and was ably promoted by Johnny Graham and the Phantom Corps Powerlifting Team. As I had to cut my visit short, I was only able to watch the women's competition completed, but they were a hard act to follow. Both our Master I and Master II women won the team competition, as did our Men's Master II competitors. In all age groups, we had a total of 13 Gold medals, with a number of other competitors earning a spot on the awards podium as well. We were edged by the Japanese teams in the Master I and Master III men's competition, but losing to the Master lifters from Japan is no disgrace, since many of their older lifters are also competitive internationally as open lifters.
Taken together, all of this shows that we have strong roots in youth participation, and great longevity. Both our young and old (I can say that since this also applies to me) lifters are the best in the world. Congratulations to all the competitors.
Doping Control:
In this next issue of the IPF Newsletter, included in the International Powerlifter Magazine, new strategies for addressing doping control across all nations are introduced. While sweeping changes must be endorsed by the IPF Congress, several measures will be forwarded to the Congress with the recommendation of the Executive that they be adopted. The short summary of these are that harsh punishments will be forthcoming for countries that continue to have doping positives, ranging from reduction of athletes eligible for international competition, to expulsion of the offending National Federations from the IPF. Those without out of competition testing programs will subject to increased scrutiny and additional hurdles to nominating athletes to international competition. Penalties for doping offenses will be made mandatory across all IPF affiliates, thereby removing the refuge that some athletes have enjoyed after a drug test failure.
The IPF continues to pursue affiliation with the World Antidoping Agency, including use of their protocols, adoption of the World Antidoping Code, to be finalized by 2003, and our request that they perform OCT for nations unable to manage their own doping control programs.
On another front, Dr. Mark Rodacker and I conclude our series on physiological and psychological effects of use of steroids. We hope that these articles begin to provide the education that our membership, and lifters in general will utilize in making the decision to avoid these dangerous drugs.
National Governing Body Meeting:
We are approaching our Men's National Championships, and with them, the National Governing Body Meeting. Please plan on attending so that you and assist us in setting future directions for USAPL. Nominations are due for the Brother Bennet and Coach of the Year awards, and agenda items should be sent promptly to the National Office.
Larry
|
