This policy, to take effect on December 1, 2025, establishes three competition categories for USA Weightlifting competitions: Female, Male, and Open (which will also be referred to as Unassigned). It was implemented to comply with U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) mandate and requirements under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act and Executive Order 14201, while ensuring meaningful participation opportunities for all athletes.
The policy applies to all local and national competitions sanctioned by USA Weightlifting.
The Female Competition Category is limited to athletes who meet the definition: “Female means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell.” An athlete is eligible for this category if their sex identified at birth was female.
The Male Competition Category is open to athletes who are male or self-identify as male.
The Unassigned Competition Category is open to any athlete regardless of sex.
Yes, meet directors can designate local events as "Unassigned-Only," where all athletes compete together regardless of gender identity. This option will be available through the event sanction builder/form in USA Weightlifting’s membership system. In “Unassigned-Only” events:
• All active IWF bodyweight categories are available.
• Meet directors have full discretion over session scheduling.
• Athletes use the 15kg or 20kg barbell typically utilized in the gendered bodyweight category they select when they register for the event.
• No medals are awarded for gendered divisions, but awards can be given by bodyweight and/or age categories.
• Record standards will not be established, and USA Weightlifting will not maintain National and/or local (WSO) records for the Unassigned Competition Category at this time.
• Eligible men’s and women’s competitors who participate in an Unassigned-Only event will have results logged to their membership profiles and these results remain valid for national event qualification in their gendered categories.
Yes, if an athlete requests to compete in an Unassigned category, they must be given access to participate in any event. However, unless the event is run as an “Unassigned-Only” event, a specific Unassigned Category entry option and separate awards are not required. When an Unassigned Category entry option is not available, the athlete requesting to compete in an Unassigned category may enter the competition in the gendered bodyweight category in which they identify but must have their result removed from the placement rankings in the corresponding gendered category results. An athlete ineligible for the Female Competition Category must inform the meet director prior to weigh-in that they wish to compete in an Unassigned category. Designating an Unassigned Category athlete as an “Extra Lifter” in a competition management system is sufficient to honor this request. Extra lifter designation is a common occurrence in competitions for multiple reasons not limited to nationality (National Championships), WSO affiliation (WSO Championships), unannounced/disallowed bodyweight category changes and/or scheduling conflicts. In situations where an extra lifter participates, results are official but do not rank placement.
Same as above. At National Competitions, qualified Unassigned Category athletes will be designated as “extra lifters” and will be ineligible for awards. For the safety and privacy of athletes, Unassigned Category results are logged as usual to the athlete’s identified gendered bodyweight category. Separate Unassigned placement and best lifter awards will not be given at National Competitions.
All individuals may hold a membership in the gender they identify with. There is a non-public opt-in to identify as gender non-conforming. Members ineligible for the Female Competition Category are asked to self-identify in their membership profiles as no application to USAW is required under the new policy.
Any athlete eligibility questions must be sent directly to USAW who may confidentially reach out to the athlete. Only USAW has the right to contest an athlete’s competition category status, and the result of that contest will not be publicly released. No individual (including a local or WSO meet director) may deny a USAW member’s competition opportunity based on an allegation that the athlete is not eligible for the category in which they are registered.
The primary corrective action is removal of the contested placement and return of any awards earned.
Athletes must fully comply with all anti-doping rules regardless of their competition category. If gender transition involves substances on the WADA Prohibited List, a Therapeutic Use Exemption from USADA is required.