International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation facts for kids
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| Sport | Bodybuilding |
|---|---|
| Category | Sports governing body |
| Jurisdiction | International |
| Abbreviation |
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| Founded | 1946 |
| Headquarters | Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain |
| President | Rafael Santonja |
| Vice president(s) |
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| Director | Pamela Kagan |
| Secretary | William Tierney |
| Official website | |
The International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) is a big organization that manages professional bodybuilding and fitness sports around the world. Its main office is in Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain. The IFBB organizes many important international events, like the World and Continental Championships.
Contents
How the IFBB Started and Grew
Founding the IFBB
In 1946, two brothers named Ben Weider and Joe Weider started the IFBB. They created it in Montreal, Canada. Back then, it was called the "International Federation of Bodybuilders." The first two countries involved were Canada and the United States. Ben Weider was the very first president of the IFBB.
Early Growth and First Competitions
The IFBB held its first big competition in 1965. It was called the Mr. Olympia contest. From 1966 to 1970, the organization grew very quickly. Joe and Ben Weider worked hard to promote bodybuilding all over the world. By 1970, the IFBB had leaders in more than 50 countries. It had reached Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, North America, and South America.
Becoming a Recognized Sport
On September 4, 1970, the IFBB held its first big meeting in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. There, they created a set of rules and elected an Executive Council. In 1971, the IFBB joined the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), which is now called SportAccord. This was a big step! It meant the IFBB became the only official group for bodybuilding recognized by world sports authorities.
For many years, Ben Weider tried to get bodybuilding included in the Olympic Games. Even though it never became an Olympic sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) did recognize the IFBB for almost four years, from 1998 to 2001.
Changes and New Leadership
In 2004, the IFBB changed its name slightly to the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness. However, it kept the short name "IFBB." The next year, the IFBB started following new rules to prevent athletes from using banned substances. These rules were based on the World Anti-Doping Code.
Around this time, the professional part of the IFBB became a separate group called the IFBB Professional League. This new group had its own rules. The original IFBB then focused only on amateur (non-professional) sports.
In 2006, after 60 years, Ben Weider stepped down as president. Rafael Santonja from Spain was chosen as the new president. The IFBB's main office also moved to Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain. Rafael Santonja has been re-elected several times since then, showing strong support from the members.
Why the Name Changed Again
The name changed again at some point to "International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation." This likely happened around 2017. It helped to clearly separate the IFBB from the IFBB Professional League. Both groups wanted to keep using the "IFBB" short name.
How the IFBB Works
The IFBB is set up as a nonprofit group under Spanish law. This means it doesn't aim to make money but to promote the sport. It has its own rules, technical guidelines, and anti-doping rules. The leaders of the IFBB are chosen by vote every four years.
The IFBB holds a big meeting every year called the International Congress. This meeting happens at the same time as the Men's World Bodybuilding Championships. The IFBB is also a founding member of the International World Games Association (IWGA). It is part of many other important sports and education groups too.
The IFBB is recognized by many Olympic groups in different parts of the world, like the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). It also takes part in several big regional sports events that are recognized by the IOC. These include the Asian Games, the African Games, and the World Games.
Who Are the IFBB Members?
The IFBB has over 190 National Federations that are part of it. These are like national sports organizations for bodybuilding and fitness in different countries. These national groups can also form larger groups for different continents or regions.
IFBB Competitions
Every year, the IFBB organizes more than 2,500 competitions! These events happen at local, national, regional, continental, and World Championship levels. There are competitions for many different sports that the IFBB recognizes. These often include divisions for juniors (younger athletes), seniors (adults), and masters (older athletes).
Some of the most famous IFBB contests include:
- The IFBB Men's World Bodybuilding Championships
- The IFBB Men's World Classic Bodybuilding Championships
- The IFBB Men's World Physique Championships
- The IFBB World Fitness Championships
- The Arnold Classic
See also
- 2014 WBPF World Championship
- IFBB Hall of Fame
- Mr. Olympia
