Costume and Personal Equipment

• On the platform, the lifter’s costume and personal equipment visually meet acceptable standards and are within the rules.
  
  
• Shirts or suits shall not portray indecency or be offensive to the spirit of the competition.

• At all competitions there will be no official inspection of costume and personal equipment.

• It will be the lifter responsibility to be presents the costume/equipment in accordance with the rules.

• Any item mentioned previously under costume and personal equipment may be inspected prior to the competition if the lifter has any doubt as to the legality of that item. Such inspections should be requested during the weigh-in sessions and directed to one of the GPA referees present, not an appointed weigh-in official.

• Inspections may also be made at any time prior to lifting by one of the appointed GPA Contest Officials or GPA Referee. Any conjecture or doubt about the legality of any such items shall be referred to the appointed GPA Contest Officials.

• Items of personal attire not covered in the rules governing costumes and personal equipment such as: headbands, mouthpieces, ribbons, watches, costume jewelry, eyewear and feminine hygiene articles are permitted. 
  Exception: hats, bandanas or headbands worn as to cover the head as a hat are not permitted to be worn on the platform.

• Any lifter performing on the platform may be inspected before or after a lift if any of the referees doubt the legality of the costume or personal equipment being used.

• A lifting suit shall be worn. It must be an individual full-length article of cloth fabric. Its construction may consist of multiple plies to any thickness but must, as a whole, be a singular component. The straps must be worn over the shoulders at all times while lifting in competition. It may be of any color or colors. The length of the leg, when worn must not exceed beyond mid-thigh (medial point between crotch and top of kneecap). Women may wear a one-piece suit of comparable design to the lifting suit. 
  Exception: Leotards with sleeves or high cut leg lines are not permitted.

• Reasonable patching to repair tears is permitted, but the number and placement of the patching shall not be designed to increase, enlarge or enhance the body's natural musculature, or to alter the design of the shirt.

• Only one lifting suit may be worn.

• One shirt (of a design consistent with what is commonly called a T-shirt) with or without sleeves may be worn under the squat / lifting suit.

• A pair of briefs of any design may be worn, provided that the length of the legs are less than those of the squat / lifting suit when worn, and that the waist does not extend beyond approximately mid-torso.
  
  
• The briefs must be individual articles of a cloth fabric. The construction may consist of multiple plies to any thickness but must, as a whole, be a singular component. Athletic supporters are permitted under the briefs.
  
  
• Only one pair of briefs may be worn under the squat / lifting suit.

Belt

• A competitor may wear a belt. If worn, it shall be on the outside of the lifting suit. 
  
  
• Width of belt to be a maximum of 10cm.
  
  
• Thickness of belt to be a maximum of 13mm, along the main length.

• The main body shall be made of leather in one or more laminations that which may be glued and/or stitched together, or of cloth, vinyl, or nylon with no metal materials allowed in belt except as noted below.
  
  
• It shall not have any additional padding, bracing, or supports of any material either on the surface or concealed within the laminations of the belt.
  
  
• A metal buckle, studs and stitching are the only non-leather components permitted. The buckle shall be attached at one end of the belt by means of studs or stitching. 
  
  
• The belt shall not have any inflatable component on or within any of its surfaces.
  
  
• A leather, cloth, vinyl or nylon tongue hoop shall be attached close to the buckle by means of studs and/or stitching.
  
  
• The lifter’s name, the name of the nation, state or club may appear on the outside of the belt.
  
  
• A one or two prong buckle as well as the lever action-fastening device may be used.

• Socks may be worn; when worn they may not extend over the knee or on the legs so that they touch any knee wrapping or kneecap supporter. Full-length leg stockings, tights, or hose are not permitted.
  
• Only one pair of socks may be

• Footwear more substantial than basic socks must be worn. The only restrictions to such footwear are that no metal cleats or spikes are permitted.

• The fabric nature shall be elastic weave primarily of polyester, cotton or medical crepe singly or in combination. Wraps of rubber or rubberized substitutes are not permitted except as noted for the elbows.
  
• Wraps, maybe joined together, but the fabric may not overlap i.e. they must be join end to end only.

• Two layers of plasters, band-aids or tape may be worn on the thumbs, but nowhere else without official permission of the referees or appointed GPA Contest Officials. No plasters or tape may be utilized as a strap to help the lifters hold the bar.

• With the permission and supervision of the referees, the appointed GPA Contest Officials, the official doctor, or assigned paramedic, the lifter may apply spot plasters, bandages, tape or band aids to muscle injuries on the body. Similarly strip plasters, tape or band-aids may be applied to injuries on the inside of the hand, but in no circumstances must these applications extend around the back of the hand.
  
  
  

• Should blood or other foreign substances appear on the lifter, it must be rectified immediately. A wound must be cleaned and a patch or bandage applied so as to prevent further contamination of the bar or equipment

• Women may wear additional protective briefs or panties. Women may also wear a bra provided it contains no special support. The use of tampons, sanitary napkins or related articles used for feminine hygiene is permitted. 

• Plastic or fabric shin guards may be worn but must not extend to a point higher than the lower border of the patella and not lower than the superior border of the ankle joint.
  
  
  

• The use of oil, grease or other lubricants and liquids on the body, costume or personal equipment to aid in the execution of a lift is not permitted. Only powder may be used, powder includes chalk, talc; resin, and magnesium carbonate, spray may be used, but only on the lifter, not on the weight equipment.

• All articles of lifters costumes and personal equipment shall be clean and generally neat and presentable. In the discretion of the referee, a lifter will not continue in the competition if this provision is not met.

• Emblems, logos or inscriptions on the lifters suit, shirt or belt that witch is offensive or liable to bring the sport in disrepute is not allowed.

• Any items worn on the platform considered objectionable by virtue of being unclean, torn or tattered, indecent or offensive to the spirit of the competition should be rejected before the lifter is permitted to proceed. 
  
  
• f a lifter performs on the platform wearing or using any item that is illegal or not verifiably approved, the lifter shall lose credit for that lift, and may be disqualified from the competition. Any minor oversights, or items covered above, noticed before the lifter performs, should be indicated to the lifter and rectified prior to continuing.