Olympic Weightlifting and the Sport’s Safety Protocols

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE SPORT

(Source: International Weightlifting Federation – www.iwf.net)

Origin of Weightlifting

As a basic athletic activity and a natural means to measure strength and power, the lifting of weights was present in both the ancient Egyptian and Greek societies. Boosting its international importance chiefly in the 19th Century, weightlifting was among those few sports (alongside athletics, swimming, gymnastics, fencing, wrestling, shooting and cycling) which featured already on the programme of the first Modern Olympic Games, in 1896, Athens. The first World Championships in this sport, however, had been staged five years earlier: on 28th March 1891, in London, with 7 athletes representing 6 countries.

Weightlifting is thus the only sport whose history in world-wide competitions spans across three centuries: from 1891 through the 20th Century until our days, in 2001.

The power-relations have undergone major changes over the past decades. At the beginning of the century, Austria, Germany and France used to be the most successful nations. Later on, Egypt, then the United States of America reigned. In the 1950s and the following three decades the Soviet Union’s weightlifters played the protagonists’ role – with Bulgaria becoming a main challenger. Since the mid-’90s, however, Turkey, Greece and China have catapulted to the lead. The most recent word power in weightlifting is Greece among the men. In the women’s field, China has been dominant since the very beginning, with other Asian countries emerging as strong contenders to the champion titles. On the overall, however, Europe is the most powerful continent in competitions of both genders.

Weightlifting Today:

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) today comprises 167 affiliated nations. Approximately ten thousand weightlifters participate annually in official competitions; weight training, however, is an indispensable tool for strength development for all sports and billions of people all over the world have workouts with the barbell for the sake of fitness. Entry figures of World Championships have increased year by year. The participation record was registered at the 1999 World Championships in Athens, Greece, with altogether 660 athletes of 88 countries taking part.

Including the Olympic Games 2000 in Sydney, the men have competed in 21 Olympic Games, 70 World Championships; the junior men in 27 Junior World Championships. The women already had their first Olympic appearance in Sydney 2000 and took part in 13 senior and 7 Junior World Championships.

The 8,000th medal in weightlifting was issued at the 2001 World Championships – to a woman in the 63 kg category – in Antalya, Turkey.

Weightlifting at the Olympic Games:

Since 1896, weightlifting featured on 20 Olympic Games. At the sport’s 21st Olympic appearance in Sydney, the programme will for the first time include the women competitors as well, in addition to the men. The most successful Olympic weightlifter of all times is Turkish Naim Süleymanoglu, who won three Olympic Champion titles (1988, 1992, 1996). Hungarian Imre Földi is a record holder being 5-times Olympian (1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976), while American Norbert Schemansky is the only one who won medals in four Games: a silver in 1948, gold in 1952, bronze in 1960 and 1964.

What is weightlifting?

Weightlifting is a perfect demonstration of physical strength, technical skill and concentration combined. Lifters compete individually in a competition that requires physical and mental preparedness and eventually tactical skills. Each competition is a final, whereas athletes are ranked in accordance with their performance. The IWF recognizes two lifts which must be executed in the following sequence:

1. The Snatch
2. The Clean and Jerk

A maximum of three attempts is allowed in each lift. There is 1 minute to start the attempt, or 2 if the lifter follows him/herself. The minimum increase is 1 kg between two attempts, except after 1st attempt, when its 2kg. Medals are distributed in both lifts and in Total, this being the combined result of the best Snatch and best Clean and Jerk.

There are eight bodyweight categories for male athletes:

56kg, 62kg, 69kg, 77kg, 85kg, 94kg, 105kg, +105kg;

and seven for female athletes:

48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 75kg, +75kg.

Officials of the competition:

The Technical Officials responsible for running the competition according to the IWF rules and regulations are: Jury, Competition Secretary/Director, Technical Controllers, Referees, Timekeeper, Chief Marshal and Doctor on duty.

What the athletes lift and where:

Competitors have to lift a weight called the barbell, which consists of a steel bar (weighing 20 kg for a men’s, 15 kg for a women’s barbell) onto which differently coloured weight discs (with a weight of 0.5 to 25 kg) are loaded and fastened with the help of collars (weighing 2.5 kg each). The athletes perform the lifts on an elevated stage with a platform of 4×4 meters made of wood and coated with non-slippery material.

SPORTS SAFETY

Weightlifting

1.         Facility

1. Venue
2. The venue owner is expected to have 3^rd party insurance coverage.
3. The training area should be kept tidy and orderly at all times.
4. Training areas should be clearly marked (minimum of 2m x 3m). A raised (rubber or plywood) platform is recommended.

1. Safety Protocol
2. An athlete, especially a beginner, should not be permitted to train unsupervised.
3. While an athlete is taking his lift, other should avoid the area surrounding him (i.e the designated training area)

1. Equipment
2. Only equipment licensed/sanctioned by the IWF, is recommended to be used.
3. Equipment should be regularly checked to ensure its integrity, and any damaged or worn equipment should be replaced in a timely manner.
4. Lifting Bars should have adequate grip, with excessive “powder” brushed off.

1. First Aid Support
2. The facility should have a valid and fully stocked First Aid kit.
3. It is also recommended that at least one staff be First Aid trained.
4. Should an AED be available on site, at least one staff should be trained in its use.

2.         Coaching Staff

1. Qualified coaches
2. Coaches should hold valid coaching qualifications, be accredited and registered with SWF.
3. They should also possess a valid CPR/First Aid certification.

1. Coach-to-athlete ratio
2. It is recommended that when training the youth, a ratio of 1 coach to 12 athletes should be observed.
3. An assistant coach should be employed where necessary.

1. Code of conduct/Responsibilities

-          Coaches are responsible for the safety and welfare of their athletes.

-          They are obliged to abide by the prevailing sporting rules and regulations set out by the SWF and/or IWF.

-          Coaches are responsible for identifying the development stage of the athlete and in doing so, develop and implement the appropriate training programme.

3.         Athlete

1. Progressive training programme
2. An athlete should follow a training programme that has accounted for his level of competency and development.
3. While an athlete should be challenging him/herself, safety should be of the utmost priority with the selection and increment of weights done progressively and within reason.

1. Nutrition

-          It is a key component of physical recovery which and impacts safety during training.

1. Health screening

-          All athletes are required to complete a PAR-Q form and declare any pre-existing injuries, health issues or contraindications. In some cases, a doctor’s clearance may be sought prior to commencement of the training programme.

1. Supervised training

-          It is recommended that all youth athletes trained only under supervision by a coach or at least a senior athlete.

1. Appropriate footwear & attire
2. Athletes should not wear ill-fitting clothes, which may restrict and/or hamper his/her movement and execution of the lifts.
3. Dedicated weightlifting shoes are recommended over sports shoes where possible.

1. Parental consent for minors

-          Minors must obtain parental or guardian consent prior to commencing on any training programme.

1. Emergency contact information

-           All athletes must provide in his/her registration or membership, the relevant emergency contact information. This should also be made available to the supervising Coach.

4.         Officials

1. Enforcing rules & regulations

-           As ambassadors of the sport, officials are obliged to enforce and ensure that the prevailing sporting rules and regulations are followed.

1. Reviewing and implementing safety protocols

-           Officials will review and revise all relevant safety protocols annually (as per risk management plan).

5.         Competition

1. Venue

-           All function areas must be clearly assigned and briefed to all officials at the competition.

1. Safety protocol

-          All the prevailing IWF Technical Regulations and Protocols must be observed and adhered to.

1. Equipment
2. Only equipment licenced/sanctioned by the IWF can be used.
3. Equipment should be regularly checked to ensure its integrity, and any damaged or worn equipment should be replaced immediately before use in competition.

1. First Aid Support
2. All competitions require at least a First Aid team onsite. A Doctor on duty is necessary for major competitions.
3. Should an accident occur on the competition stage, only the Doctor on duty may be in contact with the athlete, and will be in-charge of managing the situation.

1. Insurance

-           Both the venue management and organizing committee should have valid insurance covering 3^rd party and public claims.

6.         Overseas Travel – Competition, Training

1. Emergency contact information

-           All relevant contact information must be shared amongst the team officials, athletes. This is also to be shared with the Club, School and/or SWF where applicable.

1. Programme and travel itinerary
2. All relevant contact information must be shared amongst the team officials, athletes. This is also to be shared with the Club, School and/or SWF where applicable.
3. It is also recommended that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs be notified of any overseas travel, especially in countries whereby travel advisories have been issued for.

1. Pre and post travel briefing and report
2. Clubs, schools and other organizations intending to compete overseas in the sport should keep the SWF informed and aware of all the competition information.
3. Endorsement of the competition registration must be obtained from SWF, as the sport’s authority.
4. Copies of the pre and post event reports should be submitted to SWF.

1. Code of conduct

-           All team members (officials, coaches, athletes) are ambassadors of the sport and are expected to maintain a level of decorum and abide by the prevailing codes of conduct set by the IWF, SWF and SSC.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• At the end of the lift, the athlete is allowed to drop the weights in a control manner (he/she can release his/her grip once the bar reaches shoulder height). This control manner of release is to minimize any strains on the muscles and/or joints, which could lead to severe injury.

• Dedicated lifting shoes are designed to withstand the pressure/impact created from the athlete’s weight, combined with the weights lifted. Lifting shoes tend to have raised heels to aid in the stability of the athlete.

• Weightlifting is a beneficial – strength improvement, joint & muscle flexibility and agility, fortification of bone density – activity that can be practiced at all ages and of both genders, in a progressive manner in relation to one’s competency and lifting capabilities. Thus, it is often part of strength conditioning programmes of other sports, eg. sprinting, baseball, swimming, golf, rugby, etc.