Effective Date: December 1, 2025
Overview
This guide provides practical steps for implementing USA Weightlifting's new Competition Category Policy at competitions sanctioned or directly run by USA Weightlifting (Note: USAW National Competitions will follow the same traditional format explained below). The policy establishes three competition categories (Female, Male, and Open aka “Unassigned”) while introducing optional "Unassigned-Only" competition formats to maximize participation opportunities. For the purposes of this guide Male and Female category descriptions are to be used synonymously with traditional Men’s and Women’s category identification.
Quick Reference: Competition Categories
Category | Eligibility
Female: Athletes who meet the definition: "Female means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell."
Male: Athletes who are male or self-identify as male.
Open: Also referred to as the Unassigned category. Available to any athlete regardless of sex.
Section 1: Competition Setup
1.1 Choose Your Competition Format
Option A: Traditional Format (Standard Meet)
- Offer Female, Male, and Unassigned categories (latter upon athlete request).
- Awards for Female and Male category, optional for age (Youth, Junior, Masters) and Unassigned categories.
Option B: "Unassigned-Only" Format (New Option)
- All athletes compete based on bodyweight and age categories only, regardless of gender identity.
- Participation-focused environment.
- Awards by bodyweight and age categories only (no gendered divisions).
1.2 Sanction Application Process
For Traditional Format:
- Use existing sanction application process.
- Female and Male categories will be available.
- “Unassigned athletes” register into their gender-identified category and participate as “extra lifters” upon notification by the athlete to the meet director (note: notification by the athlete is required).
- Standard USAW rules and procedures apply.
- Publicly available startlists will show all athletes registered into their gender identified categories, however, competition scoring systems will list them as “extra lifters” and final standings will omit them from rankings/placements.
For "Unassigned-Only" Format:
- Use existing sanction application process.
- Select "Unassigned-All Categories" option in the event sanction builder/form.
- Additional age/gender categories may be selected.
- All participants register as open athletes into their selected bodyweight category.
- Specify award structure (bodyweight/age categories only) in the event description/landing page.
1.3 Event Registration Page Requirements
Must include for "Unassigned-Only" Events
EXAMPLE PARTICIPATION-FOCUSED EVENT NOTICE
This is an Unassigned-Only competition where all athletes compete based on bodyweight and age categories only, regardless of gender identity. Awards will be given by bodyweight category (and/or age categories as applicable) only.
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Section 2: Session Planning and Equipment
2.1 Bodyweight Categories
- All active IWF bodyweight categories are available to Unassigned athletes in both formats.
- Meet directors have full discretion when scheduling sessions except that Unassigned athletes may not be scheduled into a separate “Unassigned-Only” session when a traditional format is in use. In a traditional format, Unassigned athletes must lift with, but not against, other gender eligible athletes in the same sessions scheduled by bodyweight categories or entry totals.
2.2 Barbell Selection (Unassigned-Only Events)
- Standard Approach: Athletes use 15kg or 20kg barbell aligned with the gendered bodyweight category they select into.
- A meet director may, at their discretion, allow an athlete competing in a typical women’s category to choose their preferred barbell (15kg or 20kg).
- Athletes over the age of 13 must use a 20kg barbell in the typical men’s categories.
2.3 Session Scheduling Considerations
- Group athletes by bodyweight categories or multiple categories based on entry totals.
- A meet director has full discretion to group athletes by bodyweight category and/or entry total (when applicable) with or without considering the traditional gendered equipment/barbell. Note: frequent barbell switching may be required if typical men’s and women’s categories are scheduled in the same session.
Section 3: Results Management
3.1 Results Upload
- Meet directors upload results using existing results templates.
- All results are logged to an athlete's USAW membership profile in their identified gender.
- Female and Male category results count toward USAW records where eligible (WSO or National Competition).
- All results are valid for national event qualification (in the athlete’s eligible category).
3.2 Unassigned Category Results - Important Distinctions:
- Results for athletes ineligible for the Male or Female competition categories: Are official but ineligible for USAW records at both national and local levels, until a time when a separate Unassigned record database is introduced and maintained. (note: at this time, USAW has determined it will not maintain a separate Unassigned category record table).
- Individual category results: All competitors have results logged to their membership profiles in their identified gender which are valid for national qualification in their eligible competition category (Male, Female and Unassigned).
Section 4: Awards and Recognition
4.1 Traditional Format Awards
- Awards for Female and Male bodyweight categories including (optional) age categories (Youth, Junior, Senior, Masters) and best lifter awards at the meet director’s discretion.
4.2 "Unassigned-Only" Format Awards
- Same as above with no gendered division awards.
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Section 5: Administrative Responsibilities
5.1 Registration Verification / Weigh-In
- For entry into an Unassigned category an athlete only needs to inform the Competition Director. They are weighed-in with the bodyweight category or session group they are scheduled to.
- Athletes self-identify their competition category; a meet director may not question or deny participation to an athlete registered into any category. Any challenge to an athlete’s competition category must be filed with USAW after the competition concludes.
- Do NOT request additional documentation beyond proof of USAW membership and government issued photo identification (for athletes who are over the age of 17).