International Federation of BodyBuilders
Encyclopedia
The International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) is a competitive bodybuilding
organization founded in 1946 by brothers Ben
and Joe Weider
and is the highest level of competitive bodybuilding in the world. Currently, the IFBB consists of seven different sub-divisions for different competitors (gender or weight), divided into 21 contests throughout the year. The current IFBB season begins with the FLEX Pro Championships on February 19 and concludes with Pro Florida Championships on December 10.
The IFBB is most renowned for the cash prizes awarded to top 5-10 finishers depending on amplitude of the contest, being the sole organization of providing a means of living for competitors. The Mr. Olympia
is the highest accolade achievable in the IFBB
, giving the title of the current number one bodybuilder in the world. In November 2004, the IFBB congress voted to change the long name of the organization to the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness. The logo and "IFBB" abbreviation
remain unchanged.
(AAU). The Weiders decided to form the IFBB after concerns that the AAU was more interested in promoting the Olympic
sport of weightlifting than bodybuilding. The IFBB was set up to give "physique athletes" (bodybuilders) center stage. The first IFBB contest was held in 1949 - the IFBB Mr. America
.
This angered the AAU, which had held their own AAU Mr. America
contest since 1939 and a bitter feud ensued, which resulted in the AAU banning anyone from entering their contests if they had previously competed for the IFBB.
petitioned the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) for inclusion of bodybuilding in the Olympic Games
. On January 30, 1998, the IFBB was made a provisional member, and the membership was subsequently made permanent on 1 August 2000. The IFBB unsuccessfully petitioned the Olympic organising committee to demonstrate the sport at the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens
, Greece
.
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
organization founded in 1946 by brothers Ben
Ben Weider
Benjamin "Ben" Weider, was the co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness along with brother Joe Weider...
and Joe Weider
Joe Weider
Josef E. "Joe" Weider is co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders along with brother Ben Weider and creator of the Mr. Olympia, the Ms. Olympia, and the now-defunct Masters Olympia bodybuilding contests...
and is the highest level of competitive bodybuilding in the world. Currently, the IFBB consists of seven different sub-divisions for different competitors (gender or weight), divided into 21 contests throughout the year. The current IFBB season begins with the FLEX Pro Championships on February 19 and concludes with Pro Florida Championships on December 10.
The IFBB is most renowned for the cash prizes awarded to top 5-10 finishers depending on amplitude of the contest, being the sole organization of providing a means of living for competitors. The Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men's bodybuilding contest at Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend - an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness . Joe Weider created the contest to enable the...
is the highest accolade achievable in the IFBB
IFBB
IFBB can refer to:* Independent Family Brewers of Britain* International Federation of BodyBuilders...
, giving the title of the current number one bodybuilder in the world. In November 2004, the IFBB congress voted to change the long name of the organization to the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness. The logo and "IFBB" abbreviation
Abbreviation
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...
remain unchanged.
History
Until the 1940s the bodybuilding scene was controlled by the Amateur Athletic UnionAmateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
(AAU). The Weiders decided to form the IFBB after concerns that the AAU was more interested in promoting the Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
sport of weightlifting than bodybuilding. The IFBB was set up to give "physique athletes" (bodybuilders) center stage. The first IFBB contest was held in 1949 - the IFBB Mr. America
IFBB Mr. America
IFBB Mr. America was a bodybuilding contest organised by the International Federation of BodyBuilders . It was first held in 1949 and in direct competition with the AAU Mr. America...
.
This angered the AAU, which had held their own AAU Mr. America
AAU Mr. America
AAU Mr. America was a bodybuilding competition started by the Amateur Athletic Union . It was first held on 4 July 1939 and the winner was named "America's Best Built Man". In 1940 this was changed to what is now known as the Mr. America contest....
contest since 1939 and a bitter feud ensued, which resulted in the AAU banning anyone from entering their contests if they had previously competed for the IFBB.
Olympics
From the 1980s to his death in 2008, IFBB president Ben WeiderBen Weider
Benjamin "Ben" Weider, was the co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness along with brother Joe Weider...
petitioned the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC) for inclusion of bodybuilding in the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. On January 30, 1998, the IFBB was made a provisional member, and the membership was subsequently made permanent on 1 August 2000. The IFBB unsuccessfully petitioned the Olympic organising committee to demonstrate the sport at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
See also
- National Amateur Bodybuilders Association (NABBA)National Amateur Bodybuilders AssociationThe National Amateur Bodybuilders Association is an organisation founded in 1950 to promote bodybuilding, originally just for the United Kingdom. The first contest it organised was the NABBA Mr. Universe which was held on 24 June 1950 and won by Steve Reeves...
- World Amateur Body Building Association (WABBA)
- IFBB Professional LeagueIFBB Professional League- History of the IFBB Professional League :In 1946, Joe Weider and Ben Weider created the International Federation of BodyBuilders, the IFBB. In 1965, Joe Weider created the first IFBB professional competition – the Mr. Olympia. In 1975, Arnold Schwarzenegger was named chairman of the first...
- International World Games AssociationInternational World Games AssociationThe International World Games Association is an international association, recognized by the IOC, that organizes every four years since 1981 the multi-sport event called the World Games.-Member federations:...
- SportAccord