GAPLF says that Peterson-Griffith’s 1-year suspension is final

Jun 05, 2019 Sports

During a press conference on Monday evening at the Guyana Chronicle Boardroom, the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federati

From left: members of the GAPLF executive; Tracy Shamsurdeen, David Gomes, President Ed Caesar, Martin Webster, Nadina Taharally and Runita White at the presser on Monday.

on (GAPLF), made the stance that their decision to suspend for the period of 12 months, Champion Powerlifter; Carlos Peterson-Griffith and Junica Pluck, will not be reversed.
The decision to suspend the lifters came after the pair competed at a strong-fit competition in Barbados on May 5-6 without notifying or seeking approval from the GAPLF.
Peterson-Griffith was contending that the competition, which was contested in the ‘land of the flying fish’, was not a powerlifting event but evidence gathered by the federation proved otherwise.
All three lifts were done at the event; Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift, also the registration form had ‘Powerlifiting’ and the event was advertised as a powerlifting showcase, and as such, the GAPLF had to make a decision as it was found that Peterson violated both the International Powerlifitng Federation’s (IPF) constitution along with the GAPLF’s constitution.

PRO Runita White

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.”
The decision means that Peterson-Griffith’s participation in the World Championship (June 2019) in Sweden will not be possible since he competed at the event without the expressed permission of the GAPLF.
At the presser, in a statement to the media, the document that was read by Executive Runita White noted, “As a federation, we recognize that we are nothing without our athletes; but in promoting our athletes who are international ambassadors for Guyana, we press our athletes to display discipline, self-control and to adhere to the regulatory measures of the IPF and GAPLF”.

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