USA Weightlifting 2023-2024 Stipend System

Effective April 1, 2023

Updated: March 29, 2023
Purpose:
The purpose of the USA Weightlifting Stipend System is to provide funding to athletes for the
specific purpose of supporting their training and international competition expenses as an elite
athlete. This supports USA Weightlifting’s goal to support the training of international level
athletes who are likely to represent USA Weightlifting in the Olympic Games.

Philosophy on USA Weightlifting’s Stipend System:

USA Weightlifting primarily targets its stipend system at those athletes most likely to
participate at the 2024 Olympic Games, those athletes most likely to win international medals
at major IWF sanctioned international events, and those most likely to participate at key IWF
and PAWF Paris 2024 qualifying events.

Right to Review and Adjust

To ensure USA Weightlifting operates responsibly within its annual operational budget,
expenses associated with this system will be evaluated on a rolling quarterly basis. USA
Weightlifting reserves the right to adjust this document (including qualification criteria, and
stipend and expense amounts) with immediate effect; provided, however, that USA
Weightlifting will provide no less than 90 days’ notice of any adjustment to athletes enrolled in
the stipend system at the time such adjustments are made.
Minimum Qualifications
To qualify for funding, you must meet the following minimum requirements:
● Must be a citizen of the United States of America
Athletes must be citizens of the United States to be eligible to compete for Team USA
and receive a stipend. If dual citizenship is held, your sport nationality must be
registered as the United States with the IWF/PAWF.
● You must have been in the USA Weightlifting Registered Testing Pool (RTP) for six
months
All athletes who intend to compete internationally or receive a stipend must be in the
USA Weightlifting RTP a minimum of six months prior to competition or receiving a
stipend (RTP details can be found in Appendix A).
● Athletes must be a current member of USA Weightlifting and in good standing to
receive a stipend.
● Athletes must agree to the USA Weightlifting Stipend Agreement and all mandatory
requirements listed in the document.

USA Weightlifting’s High Performance team will develop an environment/culture designed to

support athlete performance in cooperation with the athlete and their personal coach. This
cooperation will include regular communication, personal visits, assistance with
questions/concerns and providing performance enhancement assistance via specialists,
equipment, and camps.

Stipend athletes and their personal coaches are expected to comply with all requirements in
this and related (e..g, USA Weightlifting Stipend Agreement) documents, including (but not
limited to) regular communication with the USA Weightlifting High Performance team.
Direct Athlete Support Stipend and Athlete Support Funding

Payment Periods
Monthly Stipend payments will be paid on the first business day of each month except for
January, at which time the stipend payment will be paid on the second business day of the
month.

Qualifying Periods
Qualification to the stipend system will be evaluated on a quarterly basis. An athlete must have
achieved a stipend qualifying international total, within the following periods listed below. If a
qualifying competition begins within one period but ends in another, the athlete’s total will
count for the stipend period in which the event began.

Payment period start April 1, 2023 – Qualifying total achieved April 1, 2022 - March 31, 2023
Payment period start July 1, 2023 – Qualifying total achieved July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023
Payment period start October 1, 2023 – Qualifying total achieved October 1, 2022 - September
30, 2023

2024 payment periods will be posted on October 1, 2023.

If an athlete is no longer eligible for a stipend, USA Weightlifting will use reasonable efforts to
provide the athlete with 60 days’ notice of removal. For example, if an athlete does not post a
qualifying total during the period of July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 that would qualify them for a
stipend they will be informed on July 1, 2023 that they no longer qualify for a stipend and will
be removed from the stipend program on August 30. Provided, however, that USA Weightlifting
may remove an athlete from the stipend system with immediate effect should the athlete be
sanctioned by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the International Testing Agency, or any other
applicable anti-doping organization for an anti-doping rule violation (in which case the term of
removal from the stipend system will coincide with the term of the anti-doping sanction), or
should the athlete willfully violate (as determined by USA Weightlifting) the terms of this
document or the USA Weightlifting Stipend Agreement.

Definition of Direct Athlete Support Stipend Payments

The direct athlete support stipend payments are intended to offset expenses related to
training, competition preparation and the maintenance of a performance environment
commensurate with an elite athlete. The system is designed to support those most likely to go
compete in the 2024 Olympic Games.

Definition of Athlete Support Funding

Athlete support funding is designed to reimburse reasonable expenses associated with
performance enhancement projects/recovery services and tools for the athlete. For example,
massage, sport psychology, sport medicine or other items agreed upon in advance with the USA
Weightlifting High Performance team (not all items submitted will be eligible for support
funding coverage).
International Competition Requirement
To qualify for the stipend system, an athlete must achieve a qualifying total at an IWF
sanctioned event within the given time frame. Qualifying totals will be established according to
the IWF OQR, or in the case of developmental athletes, explicitly stated USA Weightlifting
sanctioned national events.

Injury Clause

Definition/reporting of injury: For the purposes of this document, an “injury” is any condition
(physical or mental) which affects an athlete’s ability to train at a level appropriate for elite
international performance. Any physical injury that reportedly limits the ability to train must be
reported to the High Performance staff with supporting documentation from a certified medical
professional. Any mental health condition that reportedly limits the ability to train must be
reported to USA Weightlifting’s designated Sport Psychologist with , supporting documentation
from a certified mental health professional.

If an athlete is injured while receiving a stipend, they may continue to earn the stipend under
the following circumstances:
● The athlete and personal coach immediately report the injury to the High Performance
team, especially in cases where it would affect ability to post readiness videos or alter
posted program; and
● The athlete and coach cooperate with the High Performance team in recovery and
therapy plans; and,
● If an athlete wishes to request an extension of their stipend during recovery from injury,
they must submit a request to the High Performance team, who will consult the USA
Weightlifting Medical Committee in determining whether or not to issue such an
extension.

Pregnancy Clause
An athlete who meets the USA Weightlifting Stipend System criteria as of the date of
notification to USA Weightlifting of her pregnancy will continue to receive the same amount of
qualified stipend payment for the duration of the pregnancy plus an additional one-year period
from the date of birth of the child or end of pregnancy, provided the athlete agrees that it is her
intent to return to competition at an elite level and has fully complied with the Pregnancy
Support Terms and Conditions. If the athlete re-qualifies for the USA Weightlifting Stipend
System at any point during pregnancy or within the year after the end of her pregnancy, USA
Weightlifting will honor the higher amount for which she qualified. Receipt of these benefits
shall not be conditioned upon any agreement that the athlete must continue to train during
pregnancy or for the one-year period subsequent to pregnancy. Upon the conclusion of the
one-year period, the athlete will then have to re-qualify for the USA Weightlifting Stipend
System. USA Weightlifting is required to keep this status confidential and will not discriminate
or retaliate against the athlete for being pregnant.
Maximum Number of Athletes
A maximum of two athletes per bodyweight category will be funded at any one time in the
highest levels of funding, except for athletes who currently rank in the top 10 in their Olympic
body weight class according to the Olympic Qualification Ranking (OQR), in this case, up to
three may be funded. Youth and junior categories are grouped separately according to the
Development Level Funding explanation and are limited to three athletes per category, when
they do not qualify for Paris A or Paris B level stipend.
Payment of Personal Coaches
If a Paris A or Paris B stipend level athlete wishes to pay their personal coach 1 of record (who is
listed as their Coach 1 of record in their USA Weightlifting membership profile and has been the
Coach 1 of record for at least 12 months) they can do so from their support funding. The
monthly coach payment cannot exceed $150 per month. Coach payments will be deducted
from the athlete’s support funding and is contingent to coaches meeting the requirements
below:
● The coach must be a current member of USA Weightlifting and in good standing to
receive payment. The coach must also have a current background screen, SafeSport
certification, USADA Coach Advantage certification and current USA Weightlifting Coach
certification of any level.
● Coaches are required to meet with the Senior Director of Sport Performance (and other
High Performance team members as needed) monthly to discuss overall training plan
and goals.

Personal Coach Competition/Camp Funding

Paris A level personal coaches will be funded to any camp where their athlete is invited. Paris B
level personal coaches will be funded only to mandatory camps. All personal coaches of Paris
A/B level athletes will be funded to any Olympic Qualification event where their athlete
competes.
 Paris A

Monthly Stipend Payment $3,500 per month

Competition Funding (Excluding FISU) Unlimited
Athlete Support Funding $10,000 per year

Definition
Paris A is designed to specifically support athletes who are most likely to be selected and/or
medal at the 2024 Olympic Games and/or medal at the 2023 IWF World Championships (Snr) in
an Olympic bodyweight category.

Qualification Criteria
Athletes can achieve Paris A stipend through any one or more of the following criteria:
- A total medal at the IWF World Championships (Snr) in an Olympic bodyweight
category.
- Be the number one ranked U.S. athlete in the 2024 OQR and in the top ten of an
Olympic bodyweight category in the OQR, considering one per nation.
- Achieve a qualifying total that would rank in the top ten of the 2024 OQR in an Olympic
bodyweight category but does not appear in the top ten due to the one per nation
clause.
- Achieve a total which is the highest in an Olympic bodyweight category in the Pan
American region but does not place the athlete in the top 10 of the OQR.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Athletes receiving this level of funding must continue to be eligible to
represent the U.S. in the upcoming Olympic Games, including any IWF, USADA, USOPC or USA
Weightlifting requirements to continue eligibility. USA Weightlifting cannot be held responsible
for any move of an international event on which an individual may have been relying on for
selection, qualification, or funding.
 Paris B

Monthly Stipend Payment $1,750 per month

Competition Funding Olympic Qualification Events Only
Athlete Support Funding $5,000 per year

Definition
Paris B is designed to specifically support athletes who are most likely to qualify for the Olympic
Games and the qualifying events leading up to them.

Qualification Criteria
Athletes can achieve Paris B stipend through any one or more of the following criteria:
- Achieve a total which is the highest by an American in an Olympic bodyweight category
but does not place in the top ten of the 2024 OQR and is no lower than fifteenth place
on the 2024 OQR.
- Achieve a total which is the second highest by an American in an Olympic bodyweight
category and is also no lower than fifteenth place on the 2024 OQR only when there is
no other American in the top ten.
- Achieve a total which is the second highest by an American in an Olympic bodyweight
category where there is already another American in the top ten of the OQR but is no
lower than 95% of the first American’s total.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Athletes receiving this level of funding must continue to be eligible to
represent the U.S. in the upcoming Olympic Games, including any IWF, USADA, USOPC or USA
Weightlifting requirements to continue eligibility. USA Weightlifting cannot be held responsible
for any move of an international event on which an individual may have been relying on for
selection, qualification, or funding.
 Developmental

Definition
Developmental funding is designed to specifically support youth, junior and 23U athletes
transitioning out of the junior level. This level of funding is designed specifically to support
athletes with prospects of competing at future Olympic Games and the IWF World
Championships (Snr) for Team USA, especially those events following Paris 2024. Any athlete
that qualifies for Paris A or Paris B is ineligible for this program. Qualification must take place at
an IWF sanctioned international or USAW National Championships (University/23 & Under/25
& Under/Youth/Junior/Senior).

Qualification Criteria
Youth (limit 3 per bodyweight category)
- IWF Youth World Champion
- Actual top two finish (total) at IWF Youth World Championships.
- Achieve 90% of average total from the top eight IWF senior rankings (using rankings as
of December 31 of the previous year) in the IWF bodyweight category in which the
qualifying athlete competed (table below).

Junior (limit 3 per bodyweight category)

- IWF Junior World Champion
- Finish top three finish (total) at the IWF Junior World Championships
- Achieve 90% of average total from the top eight IWF senior rankings (using rankings as
of December 31 of the previous year) in the IWF bodyweight category in which the
qualifying athlete competed (table below).

23 & Under (limit 3 per bodyweight category)

- This age group enables athletes to earn Developmental support status beginning with
the years in which they turn 21, 22 and/or 23.
- Achieve 90% of average total from the top eight IWF senior rankings (using rankings as
of December 31 of the previous year) in the IWF bodyweight category in which the
qualifying athlete competed (table below).
- 23U Developmental athletes will be reevaluated annually from the date they first qualify
for support and, in order to re-qualify, must have posted a total at an eligible
competition that is at least 3% higher than the total which last qualified them for this
level of funding one year prior. If they successfully re-qualify, the athlete’s highest total
in that year will be used as the new benchmark for showing 3% improvement in the
following year.
- If an athlete moves up a bodyweight category while in this support level, they must
show the ability to do 90% of top eight for the new category by the end of the qualifying
period.

Benefits for all developmental categories:

● $2,000 per year in Athlete Support Funding
 ● Access to all then-offered USA Weightlifting service providers: nutrition, biomechanics,
performance psychology, medical, etc.
● Priority first round invites to USA Weightlifting developmental camps with 100% USA
Weightlifting funding to these camps. This applies to the athlete’s personal Coach 1 of
record as well.
● Competition funding for two IWF sanctioned competitions per year for the athlete and
their personal coach (youth and junior levels only).
● Competition funding for one specially selected IWF sanctioned competition per year for
athletes and their personal coach (U23 level only).
● One set of USA Weightlifting supplied gear (separate from normal competition
outfitting).

U23/Developmental Level 90% standards

NOTE: Numbers rounded to the nearest kilogram, where the number for the higher bodyweight
category does not exceed the lower category, 1kg is added.

Women Totals Men Totals

45 154 55 235
49 177 61 267
55 188 67 287
59 204 73 308
64 206 81 324
71 223 89 344
76 224 96 345
81 235 102 351
87 236 109 356
+87 258 +109 406