USA Powerlifting

Not to be confused with the other USAPL, USA Pool League.

USA Powerlifting
SportPowerlifting
JurisdictionNational, International
ChairmanLarry Maile
Official website
www.usapowerlifting.com
United States

USA Powerlifting (USAPL) is a national and international powerlifting organization based in the United States. The USAPL sanctions local, regional, national,[1] and international[2] meets in the United States and several other member countries. The current president of the USAPL is Larry Maile.[1]

The USAPL is a drug tested organization and restricts the usage of equipment to single ply suits and shirts in the equipped division.[1] The raw division of the USAPL allows wrist wraps and knee sleeves as well as a lifting belt.[1]

In November 2021, USA Powerlifting was controversially[3] expelled from the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) after it failed to comply with changes to some of the IPF's policies.[4][5] Since then, USA Powerlifting has expanded to become an international organization, including countries such as Australia, Ireland, and South Korea.[6] In place of IPF World Championships, USA Powerlifting has started the USA Powerlifting Pro Series Circuit and the USA Powerlifting Open World Cup.

In 2019, USAPL announced that transgender women would not be allowed to compete as women.[7] On January 14, 2021, female transgender weightlifter JayCee Cooper launched a discrimination lawsuit against USA Powerlifting in the District Court of Minnesota.[8] In late February 2023, a Minnesota District Court ruled that USA Powerlifting must permit transgender athletes to compete.[9] The ruling was affirmed by the Minnesota Court of Appeals in March 2024.[10]

  1. ^ a b c d "USA Powerlifting (USAPL) |USAPL". Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  2. ^ "USA Powerlifting Announces Open World Cup". Instagram. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  3. ^ "USA Powerlifting Goes International after the removal from the International Powerlifting Federation". 7 November 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  4. ^ "The IPF Issues USA Powerlifting 12-Month Suspension for Refusal to Be WADA Compliant". 2 August 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  5. ^ "International Powerlifting Federation disputes USAPL's claim of being "expelled for testing too much"". 12 November 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  6. ^ "State & Country Chairs". USA Powerlifting. August 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  7. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (1 February 2019). "USA Powerlifting bans all trans women from competing as women". Outsports. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Female Transgender Weightlifter Launches Discrimination Lawsuit Against USA Powerlifting". NBC News. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Transgender athlete wins discrimination case against USA Powerlifting". NBC News. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  10. ^ Pierce, Gabbi (18 March 2024). "Gender Justice continues to fight for transgender woman's right to compete". Gender Justice. Retrieved 30 March 2024.