Eleiko will also work with IPC Powerlifting, the sport's governing body, to try to raise the profile of the sport, which has been tarnished by a series of doping scandals in recent years.  

Four lifters tested positive for banned performance-enhancing drugs at the World Championships and the IPC have been forced to warn that National Paralympic Committees consistently involved in scandals face the threat of action. 

The sponsorship announcement comes shortly after Regional Championships in Europe, Asia and the Americas were confirmed for 2015, where the equipment will now be provided by Eleiko. 

The inaugural Americas Open Championships in Guadalajara next April will be the first to benefit.

That is due to followed by the Asian Open Championships in Almaty next July, with the European Open Championships scheduled to take place in Eger, Hungary, in November.

Powerlifting is set to receive a boost following the announcement of the new sponsorship deal with Eleiko, who have promised to try to raise the profile of the sport ©Getty Images

"We are immensely excited to be working with Eleiko and their expert staff in the years ahead, a period which includes the road to Rio [2016], to officially provide equipment for our highest level competitions," said Xavier Gonzalez, chief executive of the IPC. 

"Powerlifting is growing all the time and at the 2014 World Championships in Dubai, UAE (United Arab Emirates), we saw a record number of participating athletes and countries, confirming the progress made in recent years.

"This partnership will help us to give athletes more exposure, develop the quality of competition and push forward strongly into an incredibly bright future."

Erik Blomberg, chief executive of Eleiko, promised that the new partnership would help the development of powerlifting. 

"We are fully committed to support and help promote IPC Powerlifting's efforts of getting more people to discover the benefits of powerlifting," he said. 

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
September 2014: Host cities for three major regional powerlifting Championships in 2015 named