New year , new rules!
The International Weightlifting Federation released the 2020 version of the official weightlifting competition rule book.
Download PDF: 2019 IWF Rulebook – Technical and Competition Rules and Regulations.
2020 Rule Changes & Additions
(changes are in bold)
1.2.6 Youth Olympic Games bodyweight categories:
Men:
- 55 kg
- 61 kg
- 67 kg
- 73 kg
- 81 kg
- +81 kg
Women:
- 45 kg
- 49 kg
- 55 kg
- 59 kg
- 64 kg
- +64 kg
3.3.6.16 Scoreboard
Scoreboards must be set up in a prominent place in the FOP, both in the competition area and warm-up area in order to record and display the progress and results of the specific category as it happens. The warm-up area, scoreboard(s) must always be in start number order (as a Real Time Display System). Spectators, scoreboard(s) can be in ranking order.
3.3.6.17 The scoreboard must contain the following information for all athletes in the group being contested and for the top three (3) athletes from the previous groups:
• athlete start number, in numerical order (before the competition)
• athlete start number, in numerical order or ranking order (once competition has been started)
• name of each athlete according to the allocated start number
• year of birth
• IWF / IOC code
• three (3) attempts in the Snatch
• three (3) attempts in the Clean & Jerk
• Total
• final classification
• indication of the athlete called and the one to follow next
6.1 PRE-COMPETITION PROCEDURES – ENTRIES
6.1.1 Participants may only be officially entered by their respective Member Federation by way of the Online Entry System or both the traditional Preliminary and Final Entry Form documents.
REGULATION TO 3.3.3 – BARBELL
REGULATION TO 3.3.7 – VIDEO PLAYBACK TECHNOLOGY (VPT)
1 Requirements for VPT:
a) A minimum of four (4) cameras: one (1) in front of the stage, two (2) on both sides diagonal to the stage, and one (1) at the back at platform level Cameras will be positioned around the stage, three (3) cameras at the front of the stage to be as close as possible to the 3 sitting referees, the 4th camera to be positioned on the side edge of the stage in line with the centre of the platform but no further away from the competition platform than four hundred (400) cm (measured from the side) of the competition platform. Three (3) cameras located in front of the stage should be positioned at a height of 30cm above the competition platform, and the side camera should be at the height of the competition platform.
b) VPT uses own-produced signal, however, it must be connected to the Scoreboard and / or Videoboard and Television / Broadcasting to allow in-venue spectators and TV viewers watch the replay. When the Athlete or Team
requests for a Challenge, Videoboard and / or TV must indicate “Challenge”
c) VPT must serve multi purposes, incl. video archives for later use (e.g. Technical Official training, scientific analysis, seminars / education, etc.).
VPT and pertaining monitor to be located on Jury Table or nearby and pertaining monitor must be provided on Jury Table (i.e., Jury Table may have two (2) monitors; Real Time Display System and VPT monitor). One (1) Attempt Board to be preferably provided nearby the steps of the stage to control next athlete to wait during VPT procedure.
To reverse the Referees’ decision after the VPT replay, unanimity majority is
required among the Jury Members.
Past Rule Changes
2019 Changes:
- 2.5.1.11 Touching the barbell with his / her footwear is a no lift!
Video Reviews (Section 3.3.7):
- 3.3.7 Video Playback Technology (VPT) (VPT is technology to review the Referees’ / Jury’s decision if challenged or in case of disagreement within the Jury.
3.3.7.2 At Senior, Junior and Youth World Championships, Olympic and Youth Olympic Games it is obligatory to apply VPT. - When the decision of the majority of the Jury members differs from that of the Referees’ decisions, the Jury may review Referees’ decision and / or Jury’s own decision by way of VPT.
- Requirements for VPT:
a) A minimum of four (4) cameras: one (1) in front of the stage, two (2) on both sides diagonal to the stage, and one (1) at the back at platform level
b) VPT uses own-produced signal, however, it must be connected to the Videoboard and Television / Broadcasting to allow in-venue spectators and TV viewers watch the replay. When the Athlete or Team requests for a Challenge, Videoboard and / or TV must indicate “Challenge”
c) VPT must serve multi purposes, incl. video archives for later use (e.g. Technical
Official training, scientific analysis, seminars / education, etc.). - The procedure can be started by Jury (by stopping the competition) or Athlete / Team (by submitting a Challenge Card to the Technical Controller) before the timing clock is started for the next attempt, or the next athlete having been called appears on the stage, whichever is the last. Upon receiving a Challenge Card, the Technical Controller shall immediately stop the competition.
- There is no limit in the number of replays, however, the Jury must make their decision as quickly as possible.
- To reverse the Referees’ decision, unanimity is required among the Jury Members.
- 9.1 Athlete / Team can only challenge the decisions of its own attempts.
- 9.2 One (1) Challenge Card is provided for each athlete at the weigh-in.
- 9.3 If the Athlete / Team wants to challenge the Referees’ or Jury’s decision a Challenge request shall be submitted to the nearest Technical Controller by using the
Challenge Card. - 9.4 Upon receipt of a Challenge, the Technical Controller must stop the competition to forward the request to the Jury.
- 9.5 Challenge request can be made only once per athlete. However, if the Jury approves the Challenge, the Athlete / Team retains the Challenge right.
What’s New in 2018: (All changes are listed on the last two pages of the PDF)
- now your hair can touch the bar
- “In the case of tie(s) in different group(s), the athlete(s) who competed earlier in time will be ranked higher regardless the attempt number at which the athletes reached the relevant result.”
- scale precision was dropped from 10 grams to 50 grams
These were the 2017 Changes:
- Abolishment of bodyweight advantage (see 6.8.2), “who lifts more, wins!”. More Here
- 15/20kg rule for entry total weights (6.6.5) changed to 20kg for both genders
- Introduction of 8th bodyweight category for women (90kg, +90kg)
- Minimum Entry Totals application for Senior World championships
- Athlete Pass introduction (similar to Warm-up Pass) (3.3.5)
- 3.2.2 Only IWF authorized professional cameras, recording equipment or drones allowed in the Venue, within the FOP or in additional spaces.
Also updated: IWF Constitution and By Laws
30kg disks are up for review. Methinks it is most likely due to the womens bar and the world record which saw the plates at the end of the bar.
Update: They removed this from the 2017 book.
Ok, women’s bars are now 20kg. Does that mean they are as thick as men’s?
There is no change to women’s bar, still 15 kg (read page 47, regulation to 3.3.3). The 20kg rule refers to the total of first attempt in snatch and C&J being no less than 20kg of the entry total. In the past, the 20 kg rule applied to men, and a 15 kg rule to women. Now both genders are subject to the 20kg rule.
I did not see the point about the authorized cameras. Does it means that ATG and Hookgrip are not allowed for doing the videos anymore?
No, it means that if you can’t use “professional” cameras as an audience member. Whatever professional means here.
ATG and Hookgrip can still apply for media accreditation.
There was an older gentleman at worlds with a massive camera + tripod in the audience and he single handedly ruined the viewing experiences of at least 30+ people behind him. He was half deaf since I was swearing at him maybe 6 feet away. Gregor on the other hand was fantastic and he even was polite enough to change angles / kneel.
I saw at least half a dozen Gregor wannabes and most were obnoxious so I support banning large equipment for just audience members.
The difference between the 20kg vs. 15kg value for men vs. women came from the different absolute weights lifted. A smaller value for women mirrors this proportionality.
Or in other words 20kg of 400kg is different than 20kg of 250kg. I don’t understand why it was changed, but it also doesn’t really matter in the broader sense.
Has it ever been enforced?
I believe it has, in Rio, as coach Wang Guoxin wanted to lower Xiang Yanmei’s weight in the clean and jerk after her neck injury in the final snatch, the judge disallowed it. However, coach Wang was furious because he said another competitor was allowed to do it.
That would be weird, where did you hear that?
Xiang’s entry was 260 and her openers amounted to 255. For 245 he could’ve lowered the C&J to 132.
Heard it on the Chinese broadcast. Yeah, Xiang was in really messed up shape.
No changesin male categories?
Gregor, does that mean you and hookgrip for example are not allowed on venues, or simply you must have permissions first?
We apply for media accreditation like everybody else.
I did not see anything about knee wraps or sleeves in the rulebook. Is there specific rules about wraps/sleeves during competition?
Where can you buy the published pocket size version of the technical rules? I’ve seen refs with them, so I know they exist.
Finally we have the video replay.
That female American lifter rolled the bar with her foot at the 2018 world championships. I wonder if this rule is in direct response to her actions.
replay isn’t good for the sport! it will make competitions way longer than needed !also it will make it harder on the lifters to keep warmed up and ready for their next attempt. along with more confusion of what is going on . more common sense is all that is needed to under stand the rules and less bullshit rules ! weightlifting will go the way the NFL is going !
When the competition is ongoing, after a weight has been submitted for a specific attempt (either for snatch or c&j) can this be changed? If yes, can it be changed to a lower weight? Can it be changed to a higher weight? How late can it be changed, can it changed anytime BEFORE the participant is called?
Thank you.