WFF IN WORLD’S SPORT MOVEMENT

WFF IN WORLD’S SPORT MOVEMENT

Old regressive things always make obstacles to the new movements and innovations. But there is no chance to stop the progress as well as there is no chance to stop the contemporary changes in sports. Old traditional sports try to remain stable, but new sports are very active: looking for the better ways they are always in movement and changes. New sports are popular and they have lots of fans around the World. Among them are sports of fitness and bodybuilding. Though fitness and bodybuilding are not among the old traditional sports, but the first bodybuilding contest was held in 1897 in Russia and the first bodybuilding “Health & Strength” magazine was issued in 1898 in the UK . 
Being already a popular kind of sport in Europe , bodybuilding reached America in the middle of the last century. At that time various sport organizations worked in the USA successfully. Especially the work of the American Athletes Union is seen as well as the personal efforts of the “father’ of the weightlifting Bob Hoffman (1898-1985). Bodybuilding rises quickly in the free democratic country. Popularizing bodybuilding sport in the USA positive results were achieved by Joe and Ben Weider brothers. Inviting ArnoldSchwarcenegger from Europe they made this sport one of the most popular in America . We should underline that for this purpose Weider brothers set their private business and successfully united sport and commerce. Seeking their goals Weiders did much for the IFBB (International Federation of Body Builders) to receive the IOC (International Olympic Committee) recognition. The IOC for two years gave the test time period for the IFBB and after it the IOC decided to refuse to support and recognize the IFBB and bodybuilding sport in general. That was the moment after which chaos and disorder started in the International Bodybuilding. Bodybuilding lost the former permanent positions. The owners of the federation were changed, a number of popular International Contests and magazines were sold. They tried to sell the IFBB federation too, but nobody wanted to buy. New names and sport structures appeared. The commerce and business overcome and replaced the sport in bodybuilding. At that time Europe watched what is going on in the USA . Many new International Federations, Associations and other international structures started their activities. These organizations struggled in between and used to call their local contests with the names “World”, “Universe” etc... These organizations did their best to involve sportsmen from different countries giving them the titles of  the “World”,  “Universe” champion or some other mystic names.  All these sport organizations are not official as the International Sport Federations. They are not registered by law as the International Sport Organizations. Often that are private properties of some private persons and sometimes even just a group of friends. It would be more correct to call them a “circle” or a “club” of people who gathered to spend the time on their beloved hobby. Often the venue of their “World” and “Universe”  Championships  is the beach on the sea coast, the “God’s” forgotten small villages or even the super market shops. These events look more like a show and it is a shame to call them the World or Continent Championship. It is a pity but sportsmen and sport leaders of some countries do not understand this and participate at these contests. Often the reason is the high title which is received easily on a village or a super market stage. They say: “a minute of shame and you are the World Champion!”. And then finally a village show winner comes home and tells fairy tales about the “honorable championship in a honorable federation”. Sometimes it looks like the absurd theater. It is no secret that today there are even three International NABBA federations (NABBA-1, NABBA-2, NABBA-3). Fighting in between all three NABBA’s organized three 2008 World Championships in Greece – every weekend a World Championship of a NABBA. So many International Bodybuilding Federations make a mess in sport. This gives false information to public and finally nobody understands what is going on. In the contemporary jungles of bodybuilding the Sport Ministries and the National Olympic Committees try to find the right solution. They are to find out which International Federation is real and which is false. We should state that all International Bodybuilding Federations as well as bodybuilding sport in general are in deep crisis. They do not know what to do and they do not know what way to go. They do not want to accept the evident fact that they have no future. They have no registration by law (only the logos and names are registered), they have no book keeping and their financial work is illegal. They do not cover the requirements of the Official International Sport Federation. Having no real future plans they cover the ambitions of their presidents and just only survive day by day. The World Fitness Federation (WFF, WFF-International) and the World Body BuildingFederation (WBBF, WBBF-International) go different way. Covering the requirements of an International Sport Federation both the WFF and the WBBF are officially registered. They are working according the accepted future plans and programs. They are recognized and supported by the Sport Ministries and  the National Olympic Committees of various countries. 

HISTORIC MOMENTS

Nearly all last century the World was divided in two parts: the Socialist and the Capitalist, the East and the West. Both parts were separated by the “Iron Wall”. Both parts did not communicate free and each had it’s own way of development. The same situation was in sport too. When the Socialism lost, the new ways of communication and common work became possible. Due to this bodybuilding sport was among the winners. At that time the popularity of bodybuilding in the USA started to go down and having Governmental support the former Socialist Countries organized and financed on different levels the majority of World’s Bodybuilding Contests. 
For many years Lithuania was among the bodybuilding leaders in Socialist Countries. Athletes of the Socialist Countries could not participate at the “West” contests because of the “Iron Wall”. At that time the “Amber Prix International” Contest was extremely important. That was the live history of the “East” bodybuilding, the World Championship of the Socialist World: with the respected titles and many Great Legendary Names of sportsmen, trainers and organizers. Supported by the Republic Lithuania in 2008 bodybuilding celebrated the 40 years Anniversary   of the “Amber Prix International” (1968-2008). The WFF-International was built on the long lasting traditions and ideas of the “Amber Prix International”. Representing all Continents the WFF-International unites 89 Country-Members today. It holds annual World and Continent Championships. In 2008 the WFF plans to organize over 60 International Contests World Wide. The WFF organizes annual International Seminar for Trainers and Judges, issues magazines in English, German, Spanish, Russian, Estonian and Lithuanian languages which together with the WFF DVD’s are spread among all the Federation Country-Members and at the most important World’s International Sport Events. 

WADA, WFF, WBBF

Looking for the better ways of development, International Bodybuilding and Fitness sports were separated in 2007. Then the WBBF appeared to public. The leader of the International Fitness remained the WFF, when the International leadership of Bodybuilding sport came to the WBBF. Supporting the World’s activities in anti doping movement, the WFF recognized the World Anti Doping Code and signed the Anti Doping Contract with the WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) in 2007. The letter of the Director WADA Rune Andersen proves it. With the optimistic look to the future the WFF-International seeks the membership in the GAISF and the recognition of the IOC. At the same time the two years period of time is given to the WBBF-International to get ready to join the World Anti Doping Code.