International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Professional League explained

International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Professional League
Abbrev:IFBB Professional League
IFBB Pro League
IFBB Pro
IFBB
Sport:Professional

bodybuilding (including men's wheelchair), physique, fitness, figure, bikini, wellness, masters and natural (IFBB Pro League Ben Weider Natural Pro only)

Category:Sports governing body
Jurisdiction:International
Founded:1946 - International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB)
1975 - IFBB Professional (Pro) Committee / IFBB Pro Division2005 - IFBB Pro League
Aff:International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness
Affdate:(2005 – 2017)
Headquarters:PO Box 789Carnegie, Pennsylvania 15106United States of America
President:Jim Manion
Replaced:International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation
Prevfounded:1946
Url:https://www.ifbbpro.com/

The International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Professional League (IFBB Pro League) is the largest international professional sports governing body federation in the world for professional bodybuilding, physique, fitness, figure, bikini and wellness. It sanctions the most prestigious competitions in bodybuilding at the Mr Olympia and Ms. Olympia, and the second most prestigious competitions in bodybuilding at the Arnold Sports Festival and Rising Phoenix World Championships.[1] [2] [3]

The natural bodybuilding equivalent to the IFBB is the INBA/PNBA Global as the IFBB, excluding the IFBB Pro League Ben Weider Natural Pro, does not test athletes for steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

History

In 1946, the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) was created. At the 1975 Mr. Universe and IFBB Congress, the IFBB established the IFBB Professional Committee (IFBB Pro Committee; later called the IFBB Professional Division (IFBB Pro Division)) to handle the professional bodybuilding division of the IFBB.[9] [10] In November 2004, International Federation of Bodybuilders Professional Division was renamed the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness Professional Division.[11]

In November 2005, the IFBB Pro Division was split from the IFBB and became the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Professional League, which was its own legal entity, with its own rules and regulations. The IFBB Constitution became an amateur only sport governing document.[12]

Amateur Affiliation

To become an IFBB Pro bodybuilder, one has to come via the route of the NPC. In the USA the NPC is the only route to IFBB Pro status. Internationally, one has to compete in an NPC Worldwide sanctioned show, of which there are various federations internationally with NPC affiliation.

Note there is no longer any affiliation between the IFBB amateur (IFBB) and the IFBB Pro League/NPC. Thus any competitor competing in an IFBB affiliated show have no route to the IFBB Pro League. The IFBB have their own version of professional status known as IFBB Elite Pro. However, even if a competitor holds this distinction, they will still have to come via the route of an NPC show or NPC affiliated show to gain IFBB Pro League status if they one day wish to compete on the Mr Olympia stage.

International Regional and Pro Qualifier Rules

CountryNPC WORLDWIDE Regional or Pro Qualifier application requirement
Regional Certificate requirement
United StatesCompete at a National Physique Committee contest not more than one year before competing in an NPC WORLDWIDE Regional or Pro Qualifier contest
CanadaCompete at a Canadian Pro Qualifier contest not more than one year before competing in an NPC WORLDWIDE Regional or Pro Qualifier contest, except for the Arnold Amateur USA[13]
Type of contestOpen toMinimum number of competitors per divisionNumber of IFBB Pro Cards awarded per division overall
RegionalWorldwideN/A0
National RegionalHost country only
Pro QualifierWorldwide51
National Pro QualifierHost country only
Ben Weider WorldWide ClassicWorldwide
Arnold Amateur (Australia, Brazil, UK)
Arnold Amateur (USA)51 (Bodybuilding, classic physique, fitness, figure, women's physique and wellness)-----2 (Men's physique and bikini)
Amateur Olympia10 or more-----8 – 9-----5 – 7-----less than 53-----2-----1-----0
European ChampionshipsDetermined by NPC Worldwide and IFBB Pro League
European Masters Championships
South American Masters Championships

2023 Olympia Qualification System

2023 qualification periodDivision2023 Olympia qualified competitors
21 November 2022 – 9 October 2023Men's bodybuildingTop 5 from the 2022 Mr. OlympiaWinner of each Open contest held during the qualification period
Women's bodybuilding, physique, fitness, figure, bikini and wellnessTop 3 from all other 2022 Olympia divisions
Wheelchair bodybuilding
Top 5 in the Points Standing[14]

Note:Any former Olympia winner has lifetime eligibility, but after more than 5 years since their last Olympia win, approval of the IFBB Professional League is required.

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/117011/ifbb-professional-league-launches-ifbbprogymcom-with-hyperstrike IFBB Professional League Launches IFBBPROGYM.COM with HyperStrike
  2. https://www.prosource.net/blogs/blog-1/ifbb-pro-league-andrew-oye-report-ifbb-pro-league-management-announces-new-rules-for-ifbb-pro-league-athlete-competition-contracts-within-the-international-federation-of-bodybuilding-fitness sep IFBB PRO LEAGUE ANDREW OYE REPORT: IFBB PRO LEAGUE MANAGEMENT ANNOUNCES NEW RULES FOR IFBB PRO LEAGUE ATHLETE COMPETITION CONTRACTS WITHIN THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF BODYBUILDING + FITNESS
  3. https://issuu.com/muscleandfitnesshers/docs/m_f_hers-olympia_2020_special_edition Muscle & Fitness Hers - Olympia 2020 Special Edition
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20221220124931/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/12/20/neggy-shelton-james-ayotte-bodybuilding/ Coached until she collapsed, an aspiring bodybuilder is now on life support
  5. https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2022/bodybuilding-extreme-training/ Dying to compete
  6. https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2022/bodybuilding-health-risks/ What bodybuilders do to their bodies — and brains
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NK05Opuipc&ab_channel=CAROLINESOMMERS HOOKED: MUSCLE WOMEN
  8. https://garyudit.com/new/contest/ifbb-pro-league-npc-worldwide-ben-weider-naturals-pro-am/ 2023 IFBB Pro League NPC Worldwide Ben Weider Naturals PRO / AM
  9. https://www.rbimba.lt/faktai/1975congress.html 1975 MR. UNIVERSE and IFBB CONGRESS
  10. http://www.billdobbins.com/PUBLIC/pages/coolfree/promoters/wayneQA.html THE MS. OLYMPIA IN LAS VEGAS: HOW IT HAPPENED AND WHY
  11. https://www.rbimba.lt/faktai/congress2004.htm IFBB INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS MEETING 2004
  12. https://www.rbimba.lt/faktai/congress2005.htm IFBB INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS 2005
  13. https://www.ifbbpro.com/international-regional-and-pro-qualifier-rules/ International Regional and Pro Qualifier RULES
  14. https://www.ifbbpro.com/2023-olympia-qualification-system-rules/ 2023 Olympia Qualification System Rules