By Al Myers
The USAWA has always required USAWA events/competitions to file a sanction request. This sanction request is then approved by the USAWA in order for an event/competition to be officially recognized by the USAWA. These forms are easily found in “About Us” under “Forms and Applications” on this website. It’s a simple process – fill out the form completely and then send it in with the sanction fee of $30 before the 30 day rule of advance notice. Sanction requests are almost always (I can think of only a couple that weren’t) approved. If the applying party is trying to violate a rule of sanction, which is all laid out clearly in the USAWA RuleBook (Section VIII), then the sanction can not approved. Another reason is if someone is wanting to sanction an event on the same day as one of our signature competitions (like the National Championships) then it can not be sanctioned for that date, and another day needs to be chosen. Several times I have helped people with this sanction process which is not problem, as I don’t want it to be a difficult thing to do.
What do you get with your sanction?
I heard recently that someone said that our sanction request is “paying $30 for a sheet of paper and nothing else.” I found that very humorous as that comment is so absurd. Obviously this individual is totally out of touch as to what the USAWA offers with our sanctions. Maybe in the ole days, when the USAWA operated in a flim-flam manner with no written rules of business and no democratic governing body that comment was the case – but not now.
Let me “tell ya” what you get with your sanction.
1. A guarantee that your meet will join the high standards set forth by the USAWA
By agreeing to a sanction a meet director agrees to follow the rules of the USAWA as set forth in the USAWA Rule Book and USAWA Bylaws. Lifters know things will be “done right” and know that the event/competition will be conducted to the high standards of the USAWA.
2. Website recognition in meet results
Only properly sanctioned USAWA events/competitions are published to the USAWA website. The USAWA website is viewed by 100’s of people daily and if you compete in an official USAWA competition you will receive the publicity of your efforts of competition. It costs money to have a website of which part of the sanction fee goes to supporting.
3. Drug Testing
The USAWA has a tremendous drug testing program now. Part of the sanction fee goes to paying for this testing program. This insures the lifters are participating in truly drug-free competition. Without fees – no drug testing!
4. Ability to set USAWA records
The USAWA has an extensive Record List which goes back to the beginning of the organization. It is now 30 years old and contains records for practically all the lifts within many different age/bodyweight classes.
5. Yearly Awards
By participating in an official USAWA event/competition you become eligible for several yearly USAWA Awards offered through our USAWA Awards Program. The USAWA budgets $1000 a year to pay for these awards which is entirely funded though fees, of which sanction fees are a part of.
I could name more reasons but these are the big ones. The USAWA is a non-profit organization. All fees paid (which includes sanction fees) goes back to the lifters in one way or another. No one gets paid in the USAWA. All administrators, directors, officers, officials, promoters, Executive Board Members, etc are volunteer positions and DO NOT receive any funding from the USAWA bank account. The USAWA is for the lifters first and foremost.
I would say you get a lot for a $30 sanction fee!
