From the IWF - Hijab and full body lifting unitard now permitted in competition

The International Weightlifting Federation just ruled to permit full body covering weightlifting uniforms.

Per www.iwf.net: "The modified rule changes permits athletes to wear a one piece full body tight fitted "unitard" under the compulsory weightlifting costume.   The "unitard" will enable technical officials to effectively adjudicate areas of the body which are essential to the correct execution of the lift.  "As far as wearing coverings on the athletes head, such as the hijab, the sport of Olympic Weightlifting has always allowed this." 


"Weightlifting is an Olympic Sport open for all athletes to participate without discrimination on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, age, or national origin in accordance with the principles of the Olympic Charter and values."  states Dr Tamas Ajan, IWF President and Honorary IOC member  "This rule modification has been considered in the spirit of fairness, equality and inclusion."  


The rule change is related to a request by a Muslim woman to be able to compete in a weightlifting costume that complies with their religious beliefs. It also fact that Muslim woman have competed on the World level in a tight singlet, showing arms, legs and hair. 



There are some interesting implications of this rule:


1. The press out
The IWF originally forbade covering of the elbows so judges may be able to judge press outs. With this new rule, does this mean that athletes with a sore elbow can now wear elbow wraps in competition. Further, does this implicate a softening of the press out rule?  I know many lifters who have suffered turned-down lifts do to lat movement being mistaken for a a press out (present company included). 


2. Regulating Gear 
In other sports such as swimming (no longer) and powerlifting, body suits have been designed to significantly enhance an athletes performance.   Although a full body "super suit" would probably be counter to technique, this may be a piece of equipment that has to be inspected by judges of the same gender as the lifter prior to the first lift.  


3. Fully covered legs -- from sock to knee wrap to singlet -- allowed, yey!!
I guess this means we can now wear tall socks with knee wraps and upper leg covering singlet (ie most singlets cover your femurs, tall socks cover the entire legs, hence the addition of a knee wrap would cover your entire leg --this was prohibited under the old rules).  In the past, part of your leg had to be exposed, this lead to lifters having to roll down their socks if their knee wrap covered the, typically, bare stretch of skin between singlet on the upper leg and socks on the lower leg.


4. Is weightlifting the most progressive and/or inclusive  Olympic sport?

Weightlifting may,now, be the only Olympic sport to have rule which fully enables women who wear modest clothing to compete.  I know skiiers wear full body suits-- so I could be wrong on this.  Again, I would think that this new rule would only further weightlifting as the most diverse sport at the Olympic Games (weightlifting has the most participants by country, and most diverse medalists by country). 


4a. More kid friendly and, friendlier modest people in general
I have known several young lifters, especially girls, who dreaded their first competition for fear of lifting on the platform in a singlet. When I first started lfiting, most people lifted in skimpy wrestling singlets.  As a young girl, I remember having to wearing a t-shirt under an oversize, ugly powerlifting singlet (the only alternative to a wrestling singlet --this was the 90's)... or lifting with biker shorts under a bathing suit.  Admittingly, singlets have gotten much nicer --yes, you migth have guessed this is just one reason my company carries singlets-- and, maybe the option of additional covering might seem more inviting to the more modest lifter.

I guess its to early to tell what the affect of this ruling will be--- should be interesting!