
For those who are ardent fans
of the ever-so-popular sport of
Professional
Bodybuilding, the
International Federation of Body Building popularly addressed as the
IFBB,
does not really need an introduction. For the rest, in a
nutshell, this is the brand which gave birth to the highest and the
most prestigious honor in the genre of pro-body building, the
Mr. / Ms.
Olympia title.
It was founded in 1946 by
Ben
and Joe Weider who wanted to render a new
dimension and honor to the sport of professional body building. In
1965, Joe Weider brought into emergence the first
IFBB professional
contest, Mr. Olympia to pave way for body builders with passion for
this sport create a competitive career for themselves and earn money
too. In 1996,
Larry
Scott, popularly known as the Legend, brought this
platform into lime light when we won the title along with the prize sum
of dollar 1000.By 2006, there took place over 40 IFBB competitions and
a total prize money of 1.6 million dollars has been won.
However, it is not easy for any and every person to get into the IFBB.
In order to become what is called an ‘IFBB Pro', one first needs to
earn an IFBB pro card. This starts with the bodybuilder first winning
the regional contest weight class. If he places well in it, he receives
an invite from the country's
National
Championship Contest for that
particular year. This indeed comes in as an opportunity for him to
prove his grit, his efficiency and his hunger for excellence in the
field. The winners of all the respective weight classes compete at the
National Championships which in turn gives them an avenue to head
myriad other contests. This is how one of them proves to be the
Champion of the Year who is then offered the ‘Pro Card'. Some
organizations may give Pro Cards to the winner of every weight class so
there might be chances of more than one individual gaining this Card in
a single year. The body builders also get an opportunity to earn a Pro
Card at the IFBB World Bodybuilding Championships which is a drug
tested event.
Ronnie
Coleman won his
IFBB
Pro Card at this forum.
Besides, the
NPC or the
National Physique committee is also affiliated
with the IFBB and award IFBB Pro Cards to its Heavyweight and Super
weight winners. The other three contests where a body builder can earn
a pro card includes The Nationals, The North American Championships and
The USA Championships.
It was the IFBB president Ben Weider's efforts which led body building
to be an official part Olympic Games. From the 1980's he petitioned the
International
Olympic Committee (
IOC)
for inclusion in the same and on
1 st August 2000, IFBB was finally made permanent.
The IFBB continues to rein as the most sought-after and prestigious
organization in the genre of
Bodybuilding,
rendering accolades that
people consider to be a symbol of greatest honor one can ever get in
the history the sport!