PRESS RELEASE: AUGUST 2017
“Announcing The Formation of the LGBT Powerlifting Union” …
On Saturday 29th July 2017 LGBT Powerlifters from all over the world attended the inaugural LGBT International Powerlifting Championships (LGBT IPC) held in London. Nine countries were represented including Australia, Belarussia, Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, United States of America and of course the home nation Great Britain with group of 40 including lifters, coaches and partners in attendance.
Athletes participating in the event ranged from complete novices, right through to World Champions and World record holders. The Championships are a direct reaction to Powerlifting not being included in the Gay Games in Paris 2018 and the subsequent discussions with The Federation of Gay Games, where a recommendation was made for LGBT Powerlifters to have their own annual championships for three years of the Quadrennial cycle.
The main purpose of these annual Championships is to grow and develop LGBT Powerlifting in preparation for the Gay Games in 2022. The host city for 2022 will be announced in October at the Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Gay Games in Paris and will be one of Guadalajara (Mexico), Hong Kong (China) or Washington DC (USA).
During the LGBT IPC weekend there was also a Congress meeting which was attended by a widest diverse group of LGBT Powerlifters ever assembled, with some having attended Gay Games as early as 1982, along with novice lifters new to the sport and were participating in their first championships. The group decided to form an athletes “Union” of LGBT Powerlifters to give them representation with The Federation of Gay Games and with mainstream powerlifting Federations.
Currently LGBT Powerlifters have no representation within the Federation of Gay Games, which was one of the reasons the sport was not included in next year’s Gay Games in Paris. Also a number of mainstream Powerlifting Federations have rules that could prevent LGBT lifters attending Gay Games in the future, and the new “Athletes Union” aims to clarify these rules and open discussions where appropriate to increase participation in future Gay Games.
Chris Morgan, Male Co-President of the LGBT Powerlifting Union, Gay Games Ambassador and an eight time world champion in the sport
“LGBT IPC 2017 was a great success bringing together LGBT Powerlifters from all over the world, along with their coaches, partners, families and friends. The weekend provided an opportunity for us to begin organising our affairs in preparation for re-entering the Gay Games in 2022. We aim now to continue discussions with the Federation of Gay Games and enter discussions with mainstream Powerlifting Federations to make certain that LGBT Powerlifting continues to grow globally”.
Charlotte Wareing, Female Co-President of the LGBT Powerlifting Union and a two time world champion and four time European champion
“It is essential that we adopt a sports model that attracts as many lifters as possible to participate in LGBT lifting, including people who in the past may have been discriminated against due to their gender, sexuality or HIV status. Gay Games adopts the principles in inclusion, participation and pursuit of personal best and we aim to stay true to these principles through the new LGBT Powerlifting Union”.
LGBT International Powerlifting Championship weekend 2018 is scheduled once again in London and with a bidding process now underway for future events scheduled in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Throughout 2017 and early 2018 the LGBT Powerlifting Union will be aiming to boost participation in the LGBT International Powerlifting Championships by continuing to connect with the LGBT Sports Community and by reaching out to under-represented athletes such as Women, Transgender, Non Binary and Intersexed.
Next year’s competition will take part on Saturday 28th July, the weekend before the opening ceremony of Gay Games Paris at Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club, which was established in 1926 and is well known for its strong commitment to diversity within the communities it serves. Events being offered are Full Powerlifting (Equipped & Unequipped), Single Lift Squat (Equipped & Unequipped), Single Lift Bench (Equipped & Unequipped) and Single Lift Deadlift (Equipped & Unequipped).
For more details about the LGBT International Powerlifting Championships and to register your interest for LGBT IPC 2018 visit their website: www.lgbtpowerlifting.org or their Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/203653086703441/
For more information about the event contact Chris Morgan Phone: 07545 781455 Email Chunky@chunkymuscle.com
Editors Notes
- LGBT Powerlifting Powerlifting Union consists of Male and Female Co-Presidents, plus currently seven national representatives who have been appointed with a specific aim of recruiting and boosting participation levels in LGBT Powerlifting globally. The Union is not Powerlifting Federation itself, but aims to offer representation for LGBT Powerlifters with the Federation of Gay Games and Mainstream Powerlifting Federations who’s rules may restrict athletes from attending Gay Games in the future. The Union will also be looking to reach out to Women, Non Binary and Intersexed athletes as they are under-represented strength sports.
- The LGBT IPC 2018 weekend has a full programme of activities including Novices Coaching Clinic (Friday 27th July), Competition (Saturday 28th July), Athletes Banquet (Saturday 28th July), Congress (Sunday 29th July) and Closing Party (Sunday 29th July) Visit www.lgbtpowerlifing.org for more details.
- Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club was formed in 1926 and is a community funded gym, located in Central London www.bgwlc.co.uk
- The LGBT IPC weekend 2018 closing party is sponsored by The Eagle Bar and The World Famous Horse Meat Disco www.eaglelondon.com/horse-meat-disco
- The sport of Powerlifting was part of the programme of Gay Games in nine Gay Games from 1982 San Francisco through to Gay Games 2014 in Cleveland Ohio. It was also part of the World Out games in Montreal in 2006. Bench Press Single Event was part of the Eurogames in Munich in 2004. Powerlifting has not been included in Gay Games Paris 2018 www.gaygames.org www.paris2018.com
Biographies
Chris Morgan: Male Co-President
Chris has been one of the UK’s leading openly gay athletes since starting his Powerlifting career at the Gay Games in 1998.
During his eighteen year career he has represented England and Great Britain a total of twenty two times, where he has taken a total of twenty four international medals. He has been World Champion eight times, European Champion twice, British Champion Eighteen times and has won six Gay Games gold medals. In 2010 and 2011 he was the overall Best Lifter at the British Deadlift Championships and in 2011 was the overall Best Lifter at the European Deadlift Championships. He is the holder of several World and British strength records in the Deadlift.
Chris is constantly working for the organisation that gave him confidence to be an openly gay athlete, as a global ambassador. His role for the Federation of Gay Games is to inspire and motivate young gay athletes worldwide.
Charlotte Wareing: Female Co-President
Charlotte has been powerlifting for four years, she has won four master’s European titles and two World titles.
She holds British, World and European records across three weight classes in both raw and equipped lifting. She has twice achieved the overall best lifter once each at European and World level. Charlotte was the recipient of the LGBT IPC “Spirit Award” at this year’s Championships for her courage and commitment to the LGBT Community, which she views as one of the Highlights of her career.
Charlotte is keen to grow the sport of powerlifting and works hard to introduce the sport to novice lifters.
