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2025 Board of Directors – Actions and Decisions
2nd Wednesday of the month
WCHM President communicates via email to Board Members as a group at various times during the month on issues and topics of national concern. Discussion continues via email and virtually, when needed at any convenient time to Board members. Decisions are recorded as being approved or not approved by the second Wednesday of the month following any required vote. Implementation of Board decisions and actions taken by the President, Executive Officers, Directors and Secretaries are then outlined in more detail in the President’s monthly updates to the Advisory Committee.
January
To allow the previous Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships (CMWC) to be a qualifying competition at the discretion of the WCHM President on a case by case basis. Carried.
To allow the Canadian Masters Records for the new bodyweight categories to proceed as follows: Records will slide over to the next highest new bodyweight category; for new bodyweight categories that are composed of two old bodyweight categories, the higher record will prevail and should two athletes have the same record, the record will be assigned to the athlete who achieved the record on an earlier date; for new bodyweight categories that are composed of two old bodyweight categories with no record holders, the minimum standard will be the lower of the two stated minimum standards. Carried.
To approve all of the Provincial Representatives appointed by the President, and leave the option open to increasing the number of a Province’s Representatives, during the year, to two. Carried.
Received December 2024 Financial Report and December 2024 President’s Update.
February
Motion: To reimburse any member who has received their NTO level in 2025 an amount equal to 50% of their membership. Carried.
Resolution to approve the Open Category at the 2025 Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships
The International Weightlifting Federation recently introduced an “Open Category” for certain athletes, specifically for those who do not fit into traditional male or female categories, including transgender and intersex athletes. This category, first implemented at the 2023 World Junior Championships, aims to create an inclusive space within the sport for individuals with differences in sex development or those identifying as a gender that does not align with their birth-assigned sex. While the IWF’s traditional men’s and women’s categories are still in place, the Open Category is intended to balance inclusivity and competitive fairness by providing an option tailored to specific gender-diverse athletes. The IWF’s policy attempts to accommodate transgender athletes while considering competitive integrity.
Although WCHM is not the National Sports Organization for Weightlifting in Canada, and is not affiliated with WCH, WCHM is affiliated with the IMWA (International Masters Weightlifting Association) which has already adopted the Open Category at international masters weightlifting events.
WCHM continues to support the policies of the IMWA and those policies of the IWF that are consistent with that of the IMWA. Canadian masters weightlifters have often voiced concerns around deviating too far from IWF rules and regulations and have always encouraged WCHM to keep the gap between its policies and that of the IWF as minimal as possible. In doing so, supporting the IWF’s policy on including the Open Category should have the support of the Canadian Masters weightlifting community as it demonstrates that the IWF leadership on the inclusion of transgender athletes within the Open Category is timely and can be easily accommodated at weightlifting competitions. This motion explains how that inclusivity can be accomplished.
Whereas WCHM President:
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Supports members’ rights as protected under the Canadian Human Rights, United Nations Human Rights, and the IOC Charter Principles including the Gender Equality and Inclusion Objectives 2021–2024.
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Supports Sports Canada, True Sport and the CCES framework that respects both the rights of trans athletes and the integrity of competitive sports.
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Wishes compliance with WCHM Bylaw 3.01: “The Objectives of WCHM are to: (a) establish, maintain, conduct, promote and develop the widest participation and interest in the sport of Masters Olympic weightlifting in Canada; (b) promote the health and well-being of its Members as well as maintain the Members’ right to compete on a level-playing field.”
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Wishes compliance with WCHM Bylaw 2.01: “Mission: WEIGHTLIFTING CANADA HALTÉROPHILIE MASTERS is dedicated to the promotion and development of Masters Olympic Weightlifting in Canada and shall represent the interests of Canadian Master Weightlifters. It will do so in a spirit of equity and fair play, while at the same time encouraging a fit for life philosophy.”
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Supports WCHM trans athlete members in their pursuit to compete nationally and internationally as Canadian Masters weightlifters. The IMWA and the PAMWF already have an Open Category for trans athletes.
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Has reviewed the Alberta Government’s “Fairness and Safety in Sport Act” and concludes that the Act (Alberta Safety in Sport Act, Bill 29): (1) does not prohibit a Provincial Sports Organization, which is not affiliated with a Canadian sports organization, like WCHM, which is not a Sports Canada NSO, from providing transgender athletes an Open Category for competition or how such an Open Category is managed; (2) focuses on school divisions, charter schools, private schools, public post-secondary institutions and independent academic institutions with sports programs and sport teams, which WCHM is not part of, nor associated with; and (3) essentially puts eligibility decisions as the responsibility of the PSO, and provides legal protection for the PSO regardless of what they decide to implement, including their ability to host events that do not involve sports teams and athletes at public and private educational institutions.
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Prefers that trans weightlifters not compete in their preferred cisgender category until such rules and regulations are approved by Weightlifting Canada Haltérophilie.
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Notes that WCHM’s legal counsel is supportive of WCHM’s inclusion of the Open Category at the WCHM National Championships.
WCHM President Mark Gomes moves that WCHM implement an Open Category at the 2025 Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships with rules and regulations as outlined in the document WCHM-Open-Category-and-QA.Oct31.2024.pdf. Carried.
Received January President’s Update (approvals of international participants, membership registration update, medal inventory update).
March
WCHM Membership Requirement for International Events
According to our current policy, WCHM membership is required prior to any qualifying competition for participation in international masters championships and Canadian Masters Records. This current policy is not applicable to the Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships.
Considering that WCHM rules can be somewhat confusing for new members or inexperienced international participants, that although Provincial Weightlifting Associations assist in publicizing this policy they should not be expected to do so, that this policy is not consistent with the requirements to participate in our National Championships, and that this policy may not be fair to new or renewing members who have achieved international qualifying standards and desire to participate and internationally represent Canada:
Motion: To remove this phrase referring to being a WCHM member prior to a qualifying event: “This requirement must be met prior to the start of the competition for which the athlete wishes to qualify.” Carried.
Received January and February Financial Report and the February President’s Update (explanation of new record categories, explanation of Retroactive TUEs vs WCHM Medical Review Application, explanation of why Pan Am Masters is not returning to Canada until WCHM requirements are upheld).
April
Preamble: Last year some Provincial Presidents were championing a plan that would involve those Associations collecting our membership fees along with their own. Masters-age seniors would automatically become WCHM members and WCHM would then have funds transferred from the Provincial Weightlifting Association to WCHM. Their suggestion places WCHM in a position where it has to ensure it is receiving membership fees that it is entitled to. It will cause a lot of additional monitoring by our Treasurer and more so if other provinces support their suggestion. Also, there is discomfort with masters-age seniors becoming WCHM members through no choice of their own.
Our bylaws are clear on how membership fees are managed and do not allow the procedure suggested by these Provincial Weightlifting Associations. Discussions with Corporations Canada agents also indicate that membership fees by a not-for-profit organization should not be collected by another not-for-profit organization.
6.04 Membership Fees: Fees shall be set annually by the Board at its sole discretion. Fees shall be payable with the WCHM application and due by January 31 of each year. Fees paid after the due date shall not be prorated. Fees for any unexpired term to the subscription year are normally not refundable, but the Board may grant a request for such in extenuating circumstances, at its sole discretion. Fee payments must be deposited directly into the WCHM bank account.
14.05 Membership Fee: The annual membership fee shall be fixed by vote of the Board provided that at least fifteen (15) days’ notice is given of any proposed change. Fee payments must be deposited directly into the WCHM bank account.
Motion: The President moves that the WCHM Board upholds WCHM Bylaw 6.04 and 14.05. Carried.
Received March President’s Update (USA Travel Advisory, Facebook and IG updates, WCHM membership no longer required prior to international qualifying event).
May
2025 – Proposed Expenditure of 2023–2024 Net Surplus
Rationale: The net income for 2023 and 2024 was $6,419. Our top athletes at the WCHM National Championships, coaches who assist our members at international events, and members who become NTOs are all deserving of our recognition.
Motion: That $4,350 be distributed to the following members in recognition of their admirable accomplishments and service to WCHM. Carried.
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Grand Masters Awards: 1st place (athlete gets a physical award) $150, 2nd $100, 3rd $50 gift prize for a total of $600 for both genders.
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Best Age Group Masters Weightlifting: 12 age groups × 2 genders × $100 for a total of $2,400.
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Commit up to $1,200 for the World Masters Coach honoraria as managed and dispersed by the President and to extend it to Pan Am Masters coaches using the same criteria (WCHM-World-Masters-Coaches-Honoraria-Fund.2023.07.31.pdf, Submitted-by-coach.APPLICATION-FOR-COACH-HONORARIUM.pdf).
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To extend for 2025 the incentive to reimburse any WCHM member who successfully attains their National Level Technical Official status an amount of 50% of the 2025 WCHM membership fee (approximately $150 for 5 new National Technical Officials). Total commitment of $4,350.
Received March and April Financial Report and the April President’s Update (update on international participants, 2026 National Host still required, etc.).
WCHM Anti-doping Policy Amendments
ARTICLE 4 – Financial Consequences of IMWA Anti-Doping Rule Violations (approved May 25, 2025)
“Where a WCHM Athlete or a member of the WCHM athlete’s Coaching Team commits an anti-doping rule violation at an IMWA event or otherwise resulting in sanctions by IMWA, whether against such WCHM athlete, a member of the WCHM athlete’s Coaching Team, WCHM or any combination of the foregoing, such athlete shall indemnify and hold harmless WCHM from all fines and other financial penalties and sanctions incurred as a result thereof. Where any such IMWA sanction results from anti-doping violations of multiple WCHM athletes in a manner in which the allocation of financial responsibility therefore is not apparent (in the reasonable opinion of WCHM), WCHM may allocate and apportion the same among the offending athletes in its sole discretion. Failure to pay and otherwise satisfy an athlete’s obligations pursuant to this section within thirty (30) days of demand by WCHM shall, without limitation or any other rights or remedies which may be available to WCHM, result in that athlete’s automatic ban from WCHM membership until such time as such member makes such payments and otherwise satisfies any obligations or damages owing to WCHM to WCHM’s satisfaction.”
June
Last year WCHM awarded a gift to Hercules of Rouyn-Noranda of $1,000 for hosting the 2024 Nationals. For this year's Nationals in Alberta, it is proposed that this year’s gift also be $1,000. The AWA has done an extremely large amount of work and their expenses will reflect that. Having our Nationals in Alberta, and with the promotional work of the AWA, our membership has jumped by a considerable amount.
Motion: To grant a gift to the AWA of $1,000 for hosting the 2025 Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships. Carried (June 11, 2025).
Granting an Exception to a Qualifying Requirement for National and International Masters Weightlifting Events
At the current time WCHM does not have an Exception Policy and the practice of granting exceptions to the qualifying period had not occurred prior to 2025. Due to the difference in how a qualifying period was defined, a very small number of athletes were granted an exception by the President in 2025 in order to participate in the 2025 Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships. These exceptions were granted on a case by case basis and some of the recipients withdrew from the championships.
Just prior to the Nationals, the Board met in-camera and rescinded all exceptions granted by the President as it was believed that exceptions were not warranted based on the lack of more detailed information. The remaining three participating athletes were not allowed to medal, break records, or receive Hall of Fame points. Their totals may be used to qualify for subsequent international Masters championships.
2026 Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships
Motion: To approve the bid from Driven Barbell Club of Midland, Ontario to host the 2026 Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships from May 7–10. Carried (June 30).
Received May Financial Statements and May President’s Update (membership registrations update, appointment of IMWA Congress of Nations Representatives Carol Akasaka and Cassandra Exner-Williams).
July
2026 Qualifying Year for the Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships
In days gone by there used to be a term called “Qualifying Year,” which referred to the time period ending when a competition starts and beginning one calendar year earlier. Over the years, we see the term now called “Qualifying Period.” It would usually start the day after the last major event and go basically up to when the subsequent competition starts or its registration cutoff date.
However, when one considers that registration for events closes well before the competition starts, and the fact that in any given year the event is unlikely to occur on the same weekend as a previous year, the qualifying period is not ever close to a full year. Nationals have been held as early as April and as late as mid-July.
The President discussed an idea with a number of athletes and coaches at Nationals. They saw no real issue with the proposal and in fact thought that it would both retain and attract new members.
The proposal is that WCHM Nationals define their qualifying period for 2026 as starting one year prior to the start of the current championships. Using this kind of qualifying period may or may not include the previous year’s championships if repeated in subsequent years.
For 2026 the host has secured May 8–10 for the Championships. Under the current rule the QP would run from June 30, 2025 up to around a possible cutoff registration date of April 15, 2026 and would not include the 2025 Nationals.
Using a one-year approach, the QP could run from May 8, 2025 to the 2026 registration closing date and would include the 2025 Nationals.
However, if future championships were held in mid-July, even the one-year approach would not include the previous Nationals. Therefore, having “almost” a full one-year qualifying period is no guarantee that the previous Nationals would be included, but it does give sufficient time between national events to secure a required entry total.
Motion: That the Qualifying Period for the 2026 championships be from May 7, 2025 to the registration closing date in 2026. Carried (July 16).
Weigh-in Rule at the WCHM Nationals
The current weigh-in rule at Nationals was flexible and accommodating to athletes. However, with increasing numbers of participants, these changes have become burdensome to the host’s organizing committee as they update the starting lists. Seeing that the IMWA, WCH, and their affiliates do not allow bodyweight category changes at weigh-in, it is proposed that WCHM weigh-in rules conform with those weightlifting organizations.
Motion: To approve the following procedure for weigh-ins at WCHM national championships. Carried.
All bodyweight category changes must be communicated to the Competition Secretary/Registrar prior to midnight (local time of the host) of the day prior to the Annual General Meeting/Technical Meeting. Changing a bodyweight category at weigh-in is not allowed. Athletes who do not make the bodyweight requirement or choose to change bodyweight category are allowed to participate as Guests. As Guests, these athletes are ineligible for medals or challenging Canadian Masters Weightlifting Records. Participating members competing as Guests are allowed to use their totals to qualify for international Masters weightlifting championships. The 250 g singlet weight is deducted from all athletes at weigh-in (July 2, 2025).
Provincial Teams at the Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships
Each Provincial Team consists of up to three men and up to three women from each Province with the highest QMasters Points as reported in the official Results Package. The WCHM President, or designate, will determine the recipients of this award using the official Results Package for ranking of athletes.
Each team member will be awarded a National Medal according to their Team’s ranking. These National Medals will have a special back insert identifying that the award is a Team Award. Medals will be mailed out by the WCHM President or delegate to the address the member has on the WCHM membership file.
Each team member will also receive a Certificate acknowledging the Team Province as winner and noting the names of all six members. The Certificate, in PDF format, will be emailed to team members by the WCHM President or designate.
There are no costs to team members or to their Provincial Weightlifting Associations for any expenses related to the granting of this award. This procedure will be included in “Hosting the Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships.”
The following Board decisions were made with due consideration of the views reflected in responses to recent President’s Updates to the Advisory Committee and individual letters to the President.
Guest Category: Motion: That a Guest Category of participation be included at WCHM’s National Championships for members who do not make their registered bodyweight category during the official weigh-in time allotment and who cannot medal, break records or be granted Hall of Fame points. Guest athletes, commencing at the 2025 CMWC, are allowed to use their totals to qualify for upcoming international Masters championships. Decision: Carried.
No Exceptions to the Qualifying Period for the Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships: Motion: That under no circumstances will any member be granted an exception to the qualifying period in order to participate at the Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships. Decision: Carried.
Weigh-In Rule: Motion: That WCHM abide by the weigh-in rules of the IWF. Decision: Carried.
Qualifying Period for the 2026 Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships: Motion: That the Qualifying Period for the 2026 National Masters Championships begin on June 30, the day following the 2025 National Championships, and that this traditional practice continues. Decision: Carried. (This decision reverses an earlier decision to start the QP on May 7.)
Received June Financial Statements and the June President’s Update.
Welcome to our Advisory Committee: Silas Lee, from Edmonton, Alberta, joins as an addition to the Para Weightlifting Advisory Group. Dresdin Archibald from Ellerslie, Alberta, joins as an addition to the ITO (International Technical Official) Advisory Group.
Received and approved the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee Report and athlete sanctions.
August
Motion: To approve Clause 3.12 and 3.13 as additions to the WCHM Anti-Doping Policy. Carried.
3.12 NO NOTIFICATION WINDOW / PRESUMED NEGATIVE – Athletes who have not received notification from the Anti-Doping Discipline Committee (ADC) within sixty (60) calendar days of their sample collection may consider themselves without any Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF or positive test).
3.13 APPRECIATION TO ATHLETES – The Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee will send athletes cleared of any Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) an appreciation letter for their cooperation with WCHM’s doping control procedure. The “Appreciation to Athletes” should be sent no later than one month after the “NO NOTIFICATION WINDOW” has concluded. Upon request to the ADC, a copy of the “Confidential Test Report” will be provided to the athlete.
Received July President’s Update (information about defining “Qualifying Period” and “Guest Category” and “Weigh-In Policy,” updated “Hosting and Organizing the Canadian Masters Weightlifting Championships” and “Guide for Technical Officials”).
Canadian Masters Records on Website
We have come a long way from when I started as Records Secretary, under the tutelage of Judy Quinn. I moved my agenda to improve the system and was very fortunate to have a very able Web Designer, Bob Haven, and my replacement as Records Secretary, Linda Rosario-Earnshaw. The evolution of our Records system was further improved when OWLCMS designer, Jean-François Lamy, lent his support by adding Canadian Masters Records into his software program. We move forward with our current Records Secretary, Madeleine Waterfield, continuing and improving the records system and working with me and JF Lamy to enter data into OWLCMS. My ultimate goal was to provide any competition director with access to our Records in OWLCMS format. However, I wanted the OWLCMS Canadian Masters Records file to be uniquely held by WCHM and not be updated online directly into OWLCMS. This was to keep our live data securely retained within our organization.
The data system established by our Web Designer prior to the possibility of Canadian Masters Records being included into OWLCMS was a leap into modernity for WCHM. Bob’s design allowed a search engine that was simple to maneuver, but unfortunately could not be integrated into OWLCMS as the cells would not align.
Bob Haven has now made it possible to have our record database in OWLCMS format on our website, not only on his own designed search engine, but with a “button” inserted so that anyone can download a read-only file of WCHM Records in OWLCMS format. This will be where Competition Directors may wish to download WCHM Records for insertion into OWLCMS for events such as Provincial Masters Championships. Bob was able to have our search engine based on the WCHM OWLCMS data.
My personal thanks go to the following individuals for enduring my requests and bringing us to this point in the evolution of our record-keeping system: Bob Haven, Web Designer; Madeleine Waterfield; and, historically, Judy Quinn and Linda Rosario-Earnshaw. Special thanks are also due to Jean-François Lamy, OWLCMS Developer and one of WCHM’s ITO Advisors, for his continued advice.
Received July Financial Statements and the President’s July Update.
October
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Motion: To set the WCHM 2026 Annual Membership fee at $65 for early registrations and $70 on or after June 1, 2026. Carried.
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Motion: To approve a $1,000 gift to the 2026 host of our Nationals, Driven Barbell Club, after the event has concluded. Carried.
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Motion: To maintain Doping Control costs for our National host at the lesser of 50% of the DFSI invoice or $2,000. Carried.
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Motion: To approve the appointment of the following WCHM Provincial Advisors: Kiew Wilson (Alberta), Frances Robson (Saskatchewan), Kim Sing Rai (British Columbia) and Crista Coughlin (unassigned). Carried.
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Motion: To approve the following Nominating Committee appointments: Madeleine Waterfield (Chair), Ray St. Jean, and Judy Quinn. Carried.
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Motion: To approve Board Member elections via electronic submission, tentatively between the dates of June 10–12, 2026. Carried.
Received September Financial Statements.
November
Motion: To set the 2026 World Masters Registration Fee to WCHM at $300 CAN. Carried.
Canadian Masters Weightlifting Records
Motion: That after August 1, 2026, athletes be allowed to use their accomplishments in the old bodyweight category to apply for a record in the new bodyweight category as outlined in the chart below. Athletes in the old category will have their records recognized in the new bodyweight category, also noted in the chart (for example, all M88 records will become M85 records). An athlete’s bodyweight at the qualifying competition will not be taken into consideration when determining a possible record in the new bodyweight category; only the results in the bodyweight category in which the athlete competed.
If you competed in this old Category / You can challenge a record in this new category by 1 kg
| If you competed in this old Category |
You can challenge a record in this new category by 1 kg |
If you competed in this old Category |
You can challenge a record in this new category by 1 kg |
|---|---|---|---|
M71 |
M70 |
W48 |
W49 |
M79 |
M75 |
W58 |
W57 |
M88 |
M85 |
W63 |
W61 |
M94 |
M95 |
If you currently have a record in this old Category / It will now become a record in this new category
If you currently have a record in this old Category |
It will now become a record in this new category |
If you currently have a record in this old Category |
It will now become a record in this new category |
|---|---|---|---|
M71 |
M70 |
W48 |
W49 |
M79 |
M75 |
W58 |
W57 |
M88 |
M85 |
W63 |
W61 |
M94 |
M95 |