Thoughts???

BALTIMORE - Christopher Cotillo suited up in his double-denim bench shirt and readied himself for the 530-pound lift. Flanked by spotters at the 2003 powerlifting meet held at a Maryland high school, Cotillo pressed the barbell up. But in mid-air it faltered, and came crashing down on the champion powerlifter’s face.

Cotillo was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center with a shattered jaw.

Three years later, Cotillo’s negligence lawsuit against the American Powerlifting Association and others stemming from that failed lift has yet to go before a jury.

But an appellate court ruling Wednesday brought it one step closer: The Court of Special Appeals ruled that Cotillo’s assumed risk in the meet didn’t include the spotters’ special instructions not to touch the barbell unless ordered to do so.

“They specifically told [the spotters], whatever you do, don’t grab that bar unless a judge tells you to,” said attorney Kimberly Alley, who represented Cotillo on behalf of a Baltimore law firm. “Well, in effect that’s taking all spotting out of the event.”

A judge in Calvert County, where the meet was held, earlier entered a summary judgement in favor of the defendants before the case could go to trial.

After reviewing a video clip of the meet, the judge said the barbell came down so fast it “made prevention of the injuries impossible by human spotters.”

“He was trying to break a record for his age and weight class,” said attorney Samuel Shapiro, who represents the powerlifting association. “I guarantee if the spotters had touched the bar, he would have been livid.”

Shapiro said he planned to appeal Wednesday’s ruling, while Calvert County schools attorney Jason Beaulieu said he was considering what step to take next.

Alley said Cotillo’s recovery has been long and painful. That double-denim shirt was supposed to provide support to help him lift perhaps 150 pounds more than he could raw, according to the ruling, but it ripped and the barbell crashed down.

I say tough shit, we all know the risks involved and in the event of something like this happening the spotters really wouldn't have had enough time to catch the weight. Sucks that it happened but what if the same had happened in his gym? Who would he have sued then the gym owner, the manufacturer of the shirt or his training partners?

I think his only recourse is the manufacturer of the shirt, IMO. Spotters can't be help responsible for faulty equipment, only the company that made the equipment. Let's say I'm doing weighted pull ups and the bar on the power rack comes loose and I fall to the ground and land on the weights and break something. Who's fault is it? The gym? They didn't make the equipment. The equipment maker? Maybe, but how long are they responsible? I know they have warrantees and if it's under warrante it should work, but who's responsible? That's a tough one. Also, I wouldn't sue unless I wasn't able to work or if I was permanantly messed up.

Theguy SHOULD be S.O.L., but you never know hw a case like this will go. In regards to what T-Man said, the manufacturer could be viewed as responsible, but the thing is that PLing gear is worn so tight as to push nearly any material to it's extremes. PLers know this, and try as much as they can to push the envelope for the sake of competition #'s. All Inzer, Titan would have to do is say that their shirt was worn by the competitor in a way that was dangerous (too small for his size, improperly modified without manufacturers knowledge and consent) and they would be off the hook (as I feel they should b anyway.)

However, if what I illustrated above did happen, it would clear way for a negative precedent: The gear manufacturers would impose recommended limits on the sizing and modification and use of their gear for the safety of the lifters. Carried one step further, federations could be supposed to take those same standards, completely altering the game as we know it.

I carried this whole scenario to it's extreme. It will likely never happen like that, but my mind started going.

Sorry or the rant.

I think that guy should suck it up (through a straw for the next 6 months, probably :D Bwahahah!!) and accept that he is taking part in a dangerous sport.

I think hes sol but hey i dont like the use of shirts

YUP WE ALL KNOW THE RISK!!!! SO SUCK IT UP I SAY

OK... I harp on my guys about this all the time. This is a real hot button for me.

What really torques me off is how spotters in these meet scenarios - or just in the gym - just stand at the side thinking they have the reflexes of 'The Flash' and they will be able to grab the bar if it abruptly comes down.

My lifelong friend and one of my teammates has had 500lb+ bars dropped on him on two separate occasions in APF meets. The reason was negligent spotting. In both cases, I (hand off man) got to the bar before one or both of the side spotters... FROM 3+ FEET BACK!!

This is so simple to fix it's ludicrous... All the side spotters have to do is interlock the fingers to make a 'saddle' out of the hands, and keep 2-3 inches below the end of the bar. If it suddenly drops, it drops right into the spotters grip. We have done this countless times training in my gym. It is not rocket science.

Also, I have safety racks on my competition bench press that were not very expensive and are extremely easy to use. If the spotters somehow miss, the rack is still there to catch the weight. Why are these very simple devices not used in competitions?!?!? It boggles my mind.

We are talking peoples' safety here... Maybe their lives. Yes, you assume a certain risk by competing in powerlifting. But there are very reasonable safety precautions - involving no more than a quick spotter training session and a $60-$70 set of racks - that can and should be taken. I don't like to see any PL-er suing a fed. But I do think something needs to be done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RevTodd

OK... I harp on my guys about this all the time. This is a real hot button for me.

What really torques me off is how spotters in these meet scenarios - or just in the gym - just stand at the side thinking they have the reflexes of 'The Flash' and they will be able to grab the bar if it abruptly comes down.

My lifelong friend and one of my teammates has had 500lb+ bars dropped on him on two separate occasions in APF meets. The reason was negligent spotting. In both cases, I (hand off man) got to the bar before one or both of the side spotters... FROM 3+ FEET BACK!!

This is so simple to fix it's ludicrous... All the side spotters have to do is interlock the fingers to make a 'saddle' out of the hands, and keep 2-3 inches below the end of the bar. If it suddenly drops, it drops right into the spotters grip. We have done this countless times training in my gym. It is not rocket science.

Also, I have safety racks on my competition bench press that were not very expensive and are extremely easy to use. If the spotters somehow miss, the rack is still there to catch the weight. Why are these very simple devices not used in competitions?!?!? It boggles my mind.

We are talking peoples' safety here... Maybe their lives. Yes, you assume a certain risk by competing in powerlifting. But there are very reasonable safety precautions - involving no more than a quick spotter training session and a $60-$70 set of racks - that can and should be taken. I don't like to see any PL-er suing a fed. But I do think something needs to be done.

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Very true, a buddy of mine was at a local meet a couple of years ago and had 365 right at lockout. His wrist kinda twitched (he was using a false grip) and the bar rolled right out of his hands and smashed right across his sternum. The spotters were entirely too far away and really didn't know what the hell they were doing anyway.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ottorotvic

Theguy SHOULD be S.O.L., but you never know hw a case like this will go. In regards to what T-Man said, the manufacturer could be viewed as responsible, but the thing is that PLing gear is worn so tight as to push nearly any material to it's extremes. PLers know this, and try as much as they can to push the envelope for the sake of competition #'s. All Inzer, Titan would have to do is say that their shirt was worn by the competitor in a way that was dangerous (too small for his size, improperly modified without manufacturers knowledge and consent) and they would be off the hook (as I feel they should b anyway.)

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Good point! So, the dude is SOL and needs to move on.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RevTodd

OK... I harp on my guys about this all the time. This is a real hot button for me.

What really torques me off is how spotters in these meet scenarios - or just in the gym - just stand at the side thinking they have the reflexes of 'The Flash' and they will be able to grab the bar if it abruptly comes down.

My lifelong friend and one of my teammates has had 500lb+ bars dropped on him on two separate occasions in APF meets. The reason was negligent spotting. In both cases, I (hand off man) got to the bar before one or both of the side spotters... FROM 3+ FEET BACK!!

This is so simple to fix it's ludicrous... All the side spotters have to do is interlock the fingers to make a 'saddle' out of the hands, and keep 2-3 inches below the end of the bar. If it suddenly drops, it drops right into the spotters grip. We have done this countless times training in my gym. It is not rocket science.

Also, I have safety racks on my competition bench press that were not very expensive and are extremely easy to use. If the spotters somehow miss, the rack is still there to catch the weight. Why are these very simple devices not used in competitions?!?!? It boggles my mind.

We are talking peoples' safety here... Maybe their lives. Yes, you assume a certain risk by competing in powerlifting. But there are very reasonable safety precautions - involving no more than a quick spotter training session and a $60-$70 set of racks - that can and should be taken. I don't like to see any PL-er suing a fed. But I do think something needs to be done.

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I think they should let you pick your spotters. In my opinion. That way, if you know a couple guys and they know you they will know exactly how to spot you and do it without touching the bar or jeopordizing the integrity of the lift. Hell, when I'm at the gym and I'm doing chest and I don't know anyone I will just do DB's because most people can't spot for crap. They always want to touch the bar or they panic when they see my rep spped thinking I'm getting stuck. I'm not, I just like to make the muscle work as long as I can on each rep and I go slow on each rep. And I really can't stand these guys who put the hands like 1 centimeter under the bar because it makes me think they are touching it and blows my concentration. I would personally be uncomfortable attempting a bench max without guys I personally knew as my spotter.

outch ! He's mad cause it ruined his life .Life comes at u fast sometimes u never know .So u have to be in that state of mind .thats tough