The International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness Professional League (IFBB Pro League) is the largest international professional sports governing body in the world for professional bodybuilding, physique, fitness, figure, bikini and wellness. A federal organisation, 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]
| 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 |
| Abbreviation | IFBB Professional League IFBB Pro League IFBB Pro IFBB |
| Founded | 1946 - International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) 1975 - IFBB Professional (Pro) Committee / IFBB Pro Division 2005 - IFBB Pro League |
| Affiliation | International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness |
| Affiliation date | (2005 – 2017) |
| Headquarters | PO Box 789
Carnegie, Pennsylvania 15106 United States of America |
| President | Jim Manion |
| Replaced | International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation |
| (founded) | 1946 |
| Official website | |
| www | |
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
editIn 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
editTo 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
edit| Country | NPC WORLDWIDE Regional or Pro Qualifier application requirement |
|---|---|
|
Regional Certificate requirement |
 United States
|
Compete at a National Physique Committee contest not more than one year before competing in an NPC WORLDWIDE Regional or Pro Qualifier contest |
 Canada
|
Compete 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 contest | Open to | Minimum number of competitors per division | Number of IFBB Pro Cards awarded per division overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional | Worldwide | N/A | 0 |
| National Regional | Host country only | ||
| Pro Qualifier | Worldwide | 5 | 1 |
| National Pro Qualifier | Host country only | ||
| Ben Weider WorldWide Classic | Worldwide | ||
| Arnold Amateur (Australia, Brazil, UK) | |||
| Arnold Amateur (USA) | 5 | 1 (Bodybuilding, classic physique, fitness, figure, women's physique and wellness)
2 (Men's physique and bikini) | |
| Amateur Olympia | 10 or more
8 – 9 5 – 7 less than 5 |
3
2 1 0 | |
| European Championships | Determined by NPC Worldwide and IFBB Pro League | ||
| European Masters Championships | |||
| South American Masters Championships[13] | |||
2023 Olympia Qualification System
edit| 2023 qualification period | Division | 2023 Olympia qualified competitors | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 November 2022 – 9 October 2023 | Men's bodybuilding | Top 5 from the 2022 Mr. Olympia | Winner of each Open contest held during the qualification period | |
| Women's bodybuilding, physique, fitness, figure, bikini and wellness | Top 3 from all other 2022 Olympia divisions | |||
| Wheelchair bodybuilding | ||||
| Top 5 in the Points Standing[14] | ||||
| 2023 Wheelchair bodybuilding points system | |
|---|---|
| Points Standing Contests | Points |
|
|
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
editReferences
edit- ^ IFBB Professional League Launches IFBBPROGYM.COM with HyperStrike
- ^ 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
- ^ Muscle & Fitness Hers - Olympia 2020 Special Edition
- ^ Coached until she collapsed, an aspiring bodybuilder is now on life support
- ^ Dying to compete
- ^ What bodybuilders do to their bodies — and brains
- ^ HOOKED: MUSCLE WOMEN
- ^ 2023 IFBB Pro League NPC Worldwide Ben Weider Naturals PRO / AM
- ^ 1975 MR. UNIVERSE and IFBB CONGRESS
- ^ THE MS. OLYMPIA IN LAS VEGAS: HOW IT HAPPENED AND WHY
- ^ IFBB INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS MEETING 2004
- ^ IFBB INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS 2005
- ^ a b International Regional and Pro Qualifier RULES
- ^ a b 2023 Olympia Qualification System Rules