As we approach the final months of 2002, I would like to provide an update on USA Powerlifting nationally and within California.  

The National Governing Body Meeting was held prior to the Men’s National Powerlifting Championships in Chicago, IL on July 12, 2002.  

By-laws Update : 

A “non-competing” membership category was approved, which will allow those who serve in administrative positions, such as coaches, referees, etc., to be members without being subject to drug testing. This motion is structured such that lifters who are subject to OMT doping control will not find refuge, at the time they should be tested, in the “non-competitor” category. 

Organizational Update: 

USA Powerlifting is establishing a fundraising program to support the funding needs of several new initiatives being implemented this year to improve the service to members and expand its visibility to the general public without raising membership dues. This program will also formally recognize and thank individual donors and corporate sponsors at various levels of financial support. In support of this effort, USAPL California is selling the new-design TEAM CALIFORNIA T-shirts to the membership with 100% of the net proceeds going back to USA Powerlifting. So support USAPL and order your T-shirt today! 

For 2001, USA Powerlifting performed about 700 total drug tests, which when combined with the total membership for 2001, meant 18.4% of our membership had been tested. (Note: A few of our athletes that were tested in 2001 had been tested more than once last year.) Of these 700 tests, we had 25 positive A samples, with 2 of these requesting their B sample to be tested as well. These B samples were also positive and failed for the same illegal substances as the respective A sample did for that athlete.  

During the end of 2001 and the beginning of 2002, we formed the Custodial Board of the USAPL. The Custodial Board (CB) shall hear appeals of failed drug tests by a member of USAPL. After hearing these appeals, the CB will render a decision and report this decision to the President of USAPL. If the athlete wishes to appeal the decision of the CB, they must appeal to the National Office and then the case will go to the Executive Committee if 2/3 of the members agree to review the case. The CB consists of 5 members with the Chairman of the Drug Testing Committee chairing this CB. We heard our first case in February 2002 and have heard a total of 2 cases so far. 

After almost 5 years as the US member affiliate in the IPF, USA Powerlifting has not had ONE drug test failure at the International level!! That is saying something since most of the other Top 5 countries at most of the World Championships have had at least one failure at the International level during this same time. Congratulations to USAPL!! 

USAPL California Update 

Team California fielded two very strong teams at the Men’s National Powerlifting Championships and the Bench Press Nationals Championships. At Men’s Nationals, we had twenty-three lifters and supporters travel to Chicago, IL and eleven lifters and supporters traveled to Cleveland, OH for Bench Nationals. It is great to see California’s growing presence at USAPL national championships.

In the upcoming months, we will close out the USAPL California competition calendar for 2002 with powerlifting meets in Southern California and Northern California. On Saturday, November 2, we will have the Southern California Fall Qualifier, a "non-competitive" powerlifting meet for Southern California lifters who would like a USAPL qualifying total for upcoming national meets in 2003.  It will be Saturday, November 2 at the Cal Lutheran weight room in Thousand Oaks. It will be limited to 15 entries on a first come-first serve basis.  The Nor Cal Winter Classic will continue its tradition as the final competition of the year. It will take place at Basics Gym in Napa on Saturday, December 28. Please mark your calendars to attend these meets as a competitor, volunteer or spectator. For more information about these competitions, and to get entry forms, visit the coming events page.

We should have a confirmed competition calendar for 2003 by the end of September. A first look of what we are working on indicates we will have several powerlifting meets in Northern California and Southern California throughout the year. So stay tuned! 

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact me. I can be reached by email at: lances@heart.org, or by phone at (310) 995-0047. 

Good health and good lifting.

Lance Slaughter 

Chair