Weightlifting weight categories

The need for them

Weightlifting is a sport that tests the strength and technique of athletes in two lifts: the snatch? and the clean and jerk?. Due to the significant differences in body weight and the corresponding potential for lifting capacity, weight categories are essential in ensuring fair competition.
These categories allow athletes to compete against others of similar body weight, making the competition more equitable and preventing mismatches where lighter athletes would be at a disadvantage against heavier opponents.

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and Olympic Cycle Changes

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) is responsible for governing the sport and setting the rules and regulations, including the weight categories. Historically, the IWF has adjusted these categories periodically, with significant changes often coinciding with the Olympic cycle. These adjustments are made for several reasons:

Fairness and Competitiveness: The IWF aims to ensure that the weight categories reflect the distribution of athletes' body weights, maintaining a level playing field and fostering competitive balance.
Health and Safety: Changes in weight categories can also be motivated by concerns over athletes' health, especially in relation to extreme weight-cutting practices.
Sport Evolution: As the sport evolves, the distribution of athletes across different weight categories may shift, necessitating adjustments to the categories to reflect these changes.
Doping Scandals: In some cases, changes in weight categories have been part of broader efforts to address doping issues within the sport.

Change the period to see the evolution of the weight categories accross time.

Period:

Weight cat.:

Senior ?:

Junior ?:

Youth ?:

Master ?:

Olympic games ?:

Commonwealth games ?:

Generation:

Period	Cat.	Senior?	Junior?	Youth?	Master?	Olympic games?	Commonwealth games?	Generation	Gender
2018-07-05	40	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 11	F
2022-06-14	40	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 12	F
1983-10-20	44	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 7	F
2016-09-25	44	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 10	F
1998-04-24	44	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 9	F
2018-07-05	45	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Generation 11	F
2022-06-14	45	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Generation 12	F
1993-02-16	46	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 8	F
1983-10-20	48	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 7	F
1998-04-24	48	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	F
2016-09-25	48	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 10	F
2018-07-05	49	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	F
2022-06-14	49	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 12	F
1993-02-16	50	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 8	F
1983-10-20	52	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 7	F
1998-04-24	53	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	F
2016-09-25	53	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 10	F
1993-02-16	54	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 8	F
2022-06-14	55	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 12	F
2018-07-05	55	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	F
1983-10-20	56	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 7	F
1998-04-24	58	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	F
2016-09-25	58	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 10	F
1993-02-16	59	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 8	F
2018-07-05	59	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	F
2022-06-14	59	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 12	F
1983-10-20	60	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 7	F
1998-04-24	63	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	F
2016-09-25	63	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 10	F
2018-07-05	64	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	F
1993-02-16	64	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 8	F
2022-06-14	64	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 12	F
1983-10-20	67.5	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 7	F
2016-09-25	69	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 10	F
2016-09-25	69+	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 10	F
1998-04-24	69+	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 9	F
1998-04-24	69	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	F
1993-02-16	70	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 8	F
2022-06-14	71	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 12	F
2018-07-05	71	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 11	F
1998-04-24	75	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	F
1998-04-24	75+	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	F
2016-09-25	75	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 10	F
1983-10-20	75	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 7	F
2018-07-05	76	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	F
1993-02-16	76	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 8	F
2022-06-14	76	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 12	F
2022-06-14	81	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Generation 12	F
2022-06-14	81+	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Generation 12	F
2018-07-05	81+	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 11	F
2018-07-05	81	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Generation 11	F
1983-10-20	82.5	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 7	F
1983-10-20	82,5+	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 7	F
1993-02-16	83+	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 8	F
1993-02-16	83	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Generation 8	F
2022-06-14	87	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 12	F
2022-06-14	87+	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 12	F
2018-07-05	87+	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	F
2018-07-05	87	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	F
2016-09-25	90	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 10	F
2016-09-25	90+	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 10	F

Change the period to see the evolution of the weight categories accross time.

Period:

Weight cat.:

Senior ?:

Junior ?:

Youth ?:

Master ?:

Olympic games ?:

Commonwealth games ?:

Generation:

Period	Cat.	Senior?	Junior?	Youth?	Master?	Olympic games?	Commonwealth games?	Generation	Gender
2018-07-05	49	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 11	M
2022-06-14	49	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 12	M
2016-09-25	50	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 10	M
1977-07-01	52	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 6	M
1969-07-01	52	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 5	M
1983-10-20	52	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 7	M
1993-02-16	54	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 8	M
2022-06-14	55	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 12	M
2018-07-05	55	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 11	M
1969-07-01	56	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 5	M
1951-07-01	56	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 3	M
1977-07-01	56	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 6	M
1964-10-15	56	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 4	M
2016-09-25	56	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 10	M
1947-07-01	56	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Generation 2	M
1998-04-24	56	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	M
1983-10-20	56	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 7	M
1993-02-16	59	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 8	M
1964-10-15	60	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 4	M
1983-10-20	60	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 7	M
1969-07-01	60	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 5	M
1977-07-01	60	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 6	M
1947-07-01	60	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Generation 2	M
1951-07-01	60	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 3	M
1913-07-06	60	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Generation 1	M
2022-06-14	61	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 12	M
2018-07-05	61	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	M
1998-04-24	62	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	M
2016-09-25	62	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 10	M
1993-02-16	64	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 8	M
2022-06-14	67	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 12	M
1983-10-20	67.5	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 7	M
1947-07-01	67.5	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Generation 2	M
1913-07-06	67.5	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Generation 1	M
1905-06-10	67.5	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Generation 0	M
1977-07-01	67.5	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 6	M
1964-10-15	67.5	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 4	M
2018-07-05	67	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	M
1951-07-01	67.5	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 3	M
1969-07-01	67.5	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 5	M
1998-04-24	69	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	M
2016-09-25	69	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 10	M
1993-02-16	70	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 8	M
2022-06-14	73	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 12	M
2018-07-05	73	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	M
1913-07-06	75	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Generation 1	M
1969-07-01	75	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 5	M
1964-10-15	75	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 4	M
1977-07-01	75	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 6	M
1983-10-20	75	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 7	M
1947-07-01	75	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Generation 2	M
1951-07-01	75	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 3	M
1993-02-16	76	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 8	M
1998-04-24	77	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	M
2016-09-25	77	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 10	M
1905-06-10	80+	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Generation 0	M
1905-06-10	80	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Generation 0	M
2022-06-14	81	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 12	M
2018-07-05	81	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	M
1913-07-06	82.5	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Generation 1	M
1969-07-01	82.5	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 5	M
1951-07-01	82.5	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 3	M
1947-07-01	82,5+	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Generation 2	M
1947-07-01	82.5	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Generation 2	M
1964-10-15	82.5	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 4	M
1913-07-06	82,5+	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Generation 1	M
1983-10-20	82.5	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 7	M
1977-07-01	82.5	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 6	M
1993-02-16	83	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 8	M
2016-09-25	85	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 10	M
1998-04-24	85	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	M
1998-04-24	85+	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 9	M
2022-06-14	89	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Generation 12	M
2018-07-05	89	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Generation 11	M
1951-07-01	90+	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 3	M
1964-10-15	90+	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 4	M
1969-07-01	90	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 5	M
1983-10-20	90	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 7	M
1951-07-01	90	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 3	M
1964-10-15	90	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 4	M
1977-07-01	90	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 6	M
1993-02-16	91	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 8	M
1998-04-24	94	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	M
2016-09-25	94+	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 10	M
2016-09-25	94	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 10	M
2018-07-05	96	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	M
2022-06-14	96	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 12	M
1993-02-16	99	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 8	M
1983-10-20	100	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 7	M
1977-07-01	100	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 6	M
2022-06-14	102	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Generation 12	M
2018-07-05	102+	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Generation 11	M
2018-07-05	102	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Generation 11	M
2022-06-14	102+	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Generation 12	M
2016-09-25	105+	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 10	M
2016-09-25	105	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 10	M
1998-04-24	105	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	M
1998-04-24	105+	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 9	M
1993-02-16	108	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 8	M
1993-02-16	108+	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 8	M
2018-07-05	109	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	M
2022-06-14	109	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 12	M
2022-06-14	109+	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Generation 12	M
2018-07-05	109+	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 11	M
1977-07-01	110	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 6	M
1977-07-01	110+	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 6	M
1983-10-20	110	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 7	M
1969-07-01	110+	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 5	M
1969-07-01	110	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Generation 5	M
1983-10-20	110+	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Generation 7	M

Limitations and Challenges

While adjusting weight categories can have several benefits, there are also limitations and challenges associated with this practice:

Disruption for Athletes: Frequent changes in weight categories can be disruptive for athletes, who may need to adjust their training and diet to compete in a different category.
Record-Keeping: Changes in weight categories can complicate the maintenance of historical records and comparisons between athletes from different eras.
Complexity: Frequent changes can add complexity to the sport's rules and regulations, potentially making it more difficult for newcomers to understand.

Current problems

Recent changes in weight categories have led to several issues:

Athlete Dissatisfaction: Some athletes have expressed frustration with the constant changes, which can impact their long-term training plans and competitive strategies.
Confusion: Frequent adjustments can lead to confusion among athletes, coaches, and fans, particularly if the changes are not clearly communicated or understood.
Impact on Participation: There is a concern that frequent changes might deter participation in the sport, especially at the grassroots level, where stability in categories can help in attracting and retaining athletes.
Credibility: The regular change of weight categories can impact the sport's credibility and the integrity of its records, as the context in which achievements were made may not be clear.

Keeping the balance

While weight categories are essential for fair competition in Olympic weightlifting, the IWF's practice of changing these categories with each Olympic cycle has its limitations and has led to several problems. Balancing the need for fairness and competitiveness with the desire for stability and clarity is a challenging task that the IWF continues to navigate.

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