International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation facts for kids
 |
|
| Sport | Bodybuilding |
|---|---|
| Category | Sports governing body |
| Jurisdiction | International |
| Abbreviation |
|
| Founded | 1946 |
| Headquarters | Las Rozas (Madrid), Spain |
| President | Rafael Santonja |
| Vice president(s) |
|
| Director | Pamela Kagan |
| Secretary | William Tierney |
| Official website | |
The International Fitness and BodyBuilding Federation (IFBB) is a major international sports group. It is based in Las Rozas, Spain. The IFBB manages the sports of bodybuilding and fitness around the world. It organizes many big international events, like the World and Continental Championships.
Contents
History of the IFBB
How the IFBB Started
The IFBB was created in 1946 by two brothers, Ben and Joe Weider. They started it in Montreal, Canada. Its first name was "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.
Growing Around the World
In 1965, the IFBB held its first big competition, called Mr. Olympia. From 1966 to 1970, the organization grew very fast. Joe and Ben Weider worked hard to promote it everywhere. By 1970, the IFBB had leaders in more than 50 countries. It had a presence in Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, North America, and South America.
On September 4, 1970, the IFBB held its first big meeting in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. There, they created a set of rules (a Constitution) and chose a leadership team. In 1971, the IFBB joined a group called the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), now known as SportAccord. This made the IFBB the only official group for bodybuilding recognized by world sports authorities.
Trying for the Olympics
From the 1980s until he passed away in 2008, IFBB president Ben Weider tried to get bodybuilding into the Olympic Games. Bodybuilding was never part of the Olympics. However, in 1998, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) gave the IFBB temporary recognition. This lasted for almost four years but was stopped in 2001.
Changes and New Leadership
In 2004, the IFBB changed its name to the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness. It still kept the short name "IFBB." The next year, the IFBB started new rules to prevent athletes from using banned substances (Anti-Doping Rules). These rules followed the World Anti-Doping Code.
The professional part of the IFBB separated to form the IFBB Professional League. This new group had its own rules. The original IFBB rules then only applied to 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 headquarters moved to Las Rozas, Spain. Santonja was reelected in 2010 and again in 2014.
The Name Today
At some point, the name changed again to "International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation." This likely happened around 2017. It helped to tell the difference between the IFBB Professional League and the IFBB Amateur League. Both groups wanted to keep using the "IFBB" short name.
How the IFBB Works
The IFBB is set up under Spanish law as a nonprofit group. This means it doesn't aim to make money. The IFBB has its own rules, technical guidelines, and anti-doping rules. It also has a leadership team that is chosen by vote every four years.
The IFBB holds a big meeting every year. This meeting happens at the same time as the Men's World Bodybuilding Championships. The IFBB is a founding member of the International World Games Association (IWGA). It is also part of other important sports groups. These include the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE).
The IFBB is recognized by many regional Olympic groups. These include the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa. The IFBB takes part in several regional sports events that the IOC recognizes. Some of these are the Asian Games, the South American Games, and the African Games. It also participates in the World Games.
IFBB Members
The IFBB has over 190 national groups that are members. 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. Competitions are held for different sports that the IFBB recognizes. Many events have divisions for juniors (younger athletes), seniors (adults), and masters (older athletes).
Some famous IFBB competitions 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
- International World Games Association
- Mr. Olympia
- SportAccord
