INTERNATIONAL POWERLIFTING FEDERATION

CODE OF ETHICS

PREAMBLE
It is the aim of the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), its officers and
the entire Powerlifting family to promote the highest possible values within the
sport of Powerlifting.
In furtherance of this aim the IPF Executive on 29th July 2013 adopted the
following IPF Code of Ethics.

APPLICABILITY
This Code shall apply to all IPF staff, persons elected or appointed to any
position within the IPF and to any other person in any position of trust within
the IPF or its Regional Federations and to any consultants, agents or similar
when acting for or on behalf of the IPF. Such persons are referred to in this
Code as Officials.
This Code shall also apply to athletes, athlete support personnel, coaches,
managers, referees, and any other persons accredited to attend or participate
in an international competition. Such persons are referred to in this Code as
Participants.

DEFINITION
Words used in this Code shall have the same meaning as set out in the IPF
Constitution, By-Laws, Technical Rules and Anti-Doping Rules.

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES IN POWERLIFTING

EQUALITY
a) No discrimination based on gender, race, religion or political opinion
shall be tolerated.
b) When electing or appointing persons in a position of trust, both sexes
should be considered.

DIGNITY
3. The governance of the IPF shall have due regard to the physical and
mental well-being of all Participants. Any form of harassment, be that physical,
psychological, professional, or sexual, is strictly prohibited.

FAIR PLAY
4. Fair play is the basic guiding principle in the sport of Powerlifting.
5. Doping is strictly forbidden at all levels. The IPF Anti-Doping Rules shall be
scrupulously observed at all times. Also, the general principles of the “spirit of
sport” those not explicitly specified as anti-doping rule violations in the IPF
Anti-Doping Rules shall be observed. For example:

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 a) any Athlete and Athlete Support Personnel (i.e. “Participant”, refer to
“Applicability” of this Code) shall cooperate in full with the IPF or any
other Anti-Doping Organization investigating anti-doping rule violations;

b) any Athlete Support Personnel (i.e. “Participant”, refer to

“Applicability” of this Code) shall not Use or Possess, without valid
justification, any Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method listed on the
valid WADA Prohibited List.

6. Betting on Powerlifting and other corrupt practices relating to the sport of

Powerlifting by IPF Officials or Participants, including improperly influencing
the outcomes or results of an event or competition, are prohibited.

7. Any person subject to this Code shall exercise due care and diligence in
fulfilling their roles for or on behalf of the IPF. Such persons must not act in a
manner likely to tarnish the reputation of the IPF or Powerlifting generally, nor in a
manner likely to bring the sport into disrepute. Officials and Participants shall not
disclose information received by them, if such disclosure is made maliciously to
damage the interests of the IPF, especially when it is made for personal gain or
benefit.

INTEGRITY
8. No Official shall, directly or indirectly, solicit, accept, or offer any concealed
remuneration, commission, benefit or service of any nature connected with
their participation in or with their function as an Official.

9. No Official shall solicit or accept benefits, entertainment, or gifts in exchange

for, or as a condition of, the exercise of their duties, or as an inducement for
performing an act associated with their duties or responsibilities, except that gifts,
hospitality or other benefit associated with their official duties and responsibilities
may be accepted if such gifts, hospitality, or other benefits:

a) are within the bounds of propriety, a normal expression of courtesy, or

within the normal standards of hospitality.
b) would not bring suspicion on the Official’s objectivity and impartiality
and
c) would not compromise the integrity of the IPF.

10. No Official may be involved with any company, association, firm, or person
whose activity is inconsistent with the objectives and interest of the IPF. If it is
unclear, whether this kind of connection exists in any given situation, the matter
shall be submitted to the IPF Ethics Committee for a decision, subject to a right of
appeal.

NEUTRALITY
11. Officials shall remain politically neutral, in accordance with the principles
and objectives of the IPF and its member nations and generally act in a
manner compatible with their function and integrity.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
12. In discharging their duties to the IPF, all officials shall act for the benefit of
the IPF when making decisions that affect, or may affect, the IPF and shall do
so without reference to their own personal interests, either financial or
otherwise. Should a conflict of interest, or the appearance of a conflict of

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interest, between the IPF and any IPF Official arise, or if there is a danger of
such conflict arising, the individual concerned must refrain from taking any
further part in the handling of the matter. If there is any doubt as to whether
such a conflict of interest exists in any given situation, the matter shall be
submitted to the IPF Ethics Committee for a decision as to the appropriate
handling of the matter.

13. Officials shall avoid any situation that could lead to conflicts of interest.
Potential conflicts of interest arise:

a. if Officials have, or appear to have, private or personal interests that

detract from their ability to perform their duties with integrity in an
independent and purposeful manner. Private or personal interests
include gaining any possible advantage for the persons bound by this
Code themselves, their family, relatives, friends, and acquaintances.
b. if the opinion or decision of an Official, acting alone or within an
organization, is influenced by, or may be reasonably considered as
liable to be influenced by relations that such Official has, has had or is
on the point of having, with another person or organization that would
be affected by the person’s opinion or decision.

14. If a situation arises that may represent a conflict of interest, the Official or
Officials concerned shall report it immediately to the IPF Ethics Committee for
appropriate measures. If an objection is made concerning an existing or
potential conflict of interest of an Official, it shall be brought to the IPF Ethics
Committee for appropriate measure.

RECOURCES
15. The resources of the IPF may only be used for Powerlifting purposes.

16. The IPF recognizes the significant contribution that sponsors, partners and
other supporters of sports events make to the development and prestige of
Powerlifting throughout the world. However, such support must be in a form
consistent with the IPF Constitution and its Rules and By-Laws as well as the
principles set out in this Code of Ethics. By virtue of their position, they must not
be allowed to interfere with the running of the sport by the IPF.

CONFIDENTIALITY
17. No IPF Official or Participant shall improperly disclose any documents or
information entrusted to them in confidence.

IMPLEMENTATION
18. It is the duty of all persons falling under this Code to conduct themselves
according to the Code and to ensure to the best of their ability that the Code is
applied within the IPF.

19. All persons bound by this Code shall immediately report any seeming or
potential violation of the Code to the IPF Executive. At the request of the IPF
Executive, the IPF Ethics Committee or any other duly authorized organ of the
IPF, persons bound by this Code are obliged to contribute to clarifying the
facts of the possible violation.

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20. The IPF Ethics Committee may make recommendations to the IPF
General Assembly for the modification, amendment or deletion of provisions in
this Code of Ethics.

IPF ETHICS COMMITTEE

21. The IPF Executive, via the President, may refer matters involving a
possible breach of this Code of Ethics to the IPF Ethics Committee. If a matter
concerns the IPF President, this matter shall be transferred to the Ethics
Committee by one of the members of the IPF Executive, as appointed by that
Executive.

22. The IPF Ethics Committee, in handling a matter arising from this Code of
Ethics, shall conduct itself according to the IPF Constitution and By-Laws, but
shall act in accordance with the principles of natural justice.

23. For any violation of this Code of Ethics, the IPF Ethics Committee may
impose any one or more of the following sanctions:

a) a warning or reprimand;
b) a suspension for a fixed period of up to 4 years from holding office or
other position held by an Official and/or until a specified set of conditions
have been met to the IPF Ethics Committee’s satisfaction.
c) a return of any IPF award
d) a ban for a fixed period of up to a lifetime from taking part in any
Powerlifting related activity.
e) a recommendation to the IPF Executive of the notification of the
matter to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.

24. Decisions taken by the IPF Ethics Committee are subject to appeal to the
Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The decisions of CAS are final.

25. Upon decision of the IPF General Assembly on November 8th, 2015, in
Hamm. Luxembourg, the IPF has amended this Code and created the IPF
Ethics Committee which from there on will oversee the implementation of the
Code.

EFFECTIVE DATE
26. This Code came into force on 29th July 2013 and was amended by the
IPF General Assembly held on 8th November 2015 in Hamm, Luxembourg.