GAPLF impose 12 month bans on Carlos Petterson-Griffith and Junica Puck for Rules Violation

May 31, 2019 Sports

Guyana’s hopes of medaling for the first time at the World Classic Powerlifting Championships to take place in Helsingborg, Sweden next month has been dashed with the suspension of the nation’s leading strongman, Carlos Petterson-Griffth.

Carlos Petterson-Griffith Deadlifts at Seniors 2018

Petterson-Griffith along with budding female lifter Ms. Junica Pluck were suspended for 12-months each after being found guilty of violating the rules of Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) and the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF).
Both athletes, contrary to the rules (Article 14.9 of the IPF; Section 12, Article 1, point 4 of the GAPLF), competed at the recently held Third StrongFit Barbados competition where Petterson-Griffith won the powerlifting segment of the competition with Pluck taking silver in the female segment, she became the first female from Guyana to compete in a StrongFit competition.
Despite their performances, the Executive of the GAPLF did not take it lightly that the duo competed in the Land of the Flying Fish without informing the local governing body. After much deliberations and guidance from the IPF, the local body on Wednesday last issued a statement on the matter.

Junica Pluck at Seniors 2018

Following is the full text of the statement:
“On May 4th and 5th, 2019 athletes Carlos Petterson-Griffith and Junica Pluck competed at a StrongFit competition in Barbados. The competition included a powerlifting aspect (All three lifts were done at the event: Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift) and as such the federation needed to make a decision on what would happen.
This is because the athletes violated both the International Powerlifitng Federation’s constitution along with the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation’s constitution. In Article 14.9 of the IPF Constitution it states, “Participating in Non-IPF Competition – Any lifter, coach, referee or official who competes or participates in an international powerlifting or Bench Press competition not organised, sanctioned or approved by the IPF shall not be permitted to take part in any IPF international or regional competition for a period of 12 months from the date of that non-approved competition.”
Alongside that the GAPLF’s constitution states in Section 12, Article 1, point 4 “The stated reasons for suspension are not a closed list and the Executive members shall collectively exercise their discretion when opting to suspend a member of the GAPLF. The following may be subject to Suspension: 4. Any lifter, who participates in a contest with other countries without the permission of the GAPLF.”
Both athletes did not inform the federation that they were going to participate in the event. If the federation was made aware they would have been able to let them know that Barbados is not an affiliate of the IPF and as such the event they competed in, is not sanctioned by the IPF.
The Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) has made the decision to not support Carlos Petterson’s trip to Worlds in Sweden, since he competed at the event without the expressed permission of the GAPLF. Please note that he will not be competing at the upcoming Worlds competition in June, 2019 or any other IPF sanctioned events for a period of 12 months (May 5th, 2019 to May 5th, 2020). Ms. Pluck will also face the same consequence as Mr. Petterson.”

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