Powerlifting
The benchpress competition widely known as " weightlifting " was among one of the original Paralympic sport dating back to its inclusion in the 2nd Paralympic Games in 1964 and was offered exclusively to Spinal Cord Injured lifters. The sport undertook a major transitions with the incorporation of identical rules as those of the able-bodied " powerlifting " competitions and with the inclusion of other disability groups. As the 1992 Paralympic Games in Barcelona, 25 countries participated in Powerlifting competitions. That number more than doubled in 1996 at the Atlanta Paralympic Games with 58 countries in participation{68 has been registered but due to lack of adequate financial budget 10 countries have not been to participate in powerlifting}. Since 1996 that number has risen to a total worldwide membership of 109 countries on five continents. Powerlifting is the world's fastest growing Paralympic sports and has actual a very high credibility. Today, IPC Powerlifting encompasses a multidisability register of athletes competing in 10 weightclasses for both men and women. Powerlifting is governed by the IPC Powerlifting Committee that was founded in 1989. The IPC Powerlifting Committee is made up of a Chairman, Doctor/Head Classifier, three members and an athlete representative. As with most Paralympic Sports the person in charge is a volunteer. The Chairman of the Powerlifting Committee is the main contact for the International Federation (IF) and represent the sport at any meeting as the need arises and gives assistance where ever possible to Organising Committees in regards to World Championships, Paralympic Games and Regional Championships. A world ranking system has been developed that measures the evolution of the sport and keeps athletes and coaches informed of world/continental record performances and competition results from the Paralympic Games, World, Regional and Continental competitions. For the first time, women will compete in Powerlifting competitions at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sysney, Australia. Women's participation has more than tripled in the past three years from 15 countries to 48 countries presently.