BODYBUILDING TODAY.

2022. WORLD BODYBUILDING TODAY.

CONTEMPORARY BODYBUILDING IS NOT A SPORT.

Today bodybuilding moves fastly. Many new organizations appear, many private businessmen are cheating bodybuilders and organize contests with „great names“. They have no history. Now bodybuilding is only business and commerce. It has nothing to do with real sport

HOW IT STARTED.

Bodybuilding became a recognized sport in 1947. Then during more than twenty years through A.A.U. (Amateur Athletic Union) and F.I.H.C. (F.I.H., Federation Internationale Halterophile; now I.W.F., International Weightlifting Federation); the „Father of the USA Weightlifting“ BOB HOFFMAN  ruled the World‘s bodybuilding sport.

Through the F.I.H.C. behind BOB HOFFMAN was I.O.C. (International Olympic Committee). F.I.H.C. organized bodybuilding World and Continent Championships, the International „Universe“ contests. The first F.I.H.C. „Universe“ was organized in 1947 in the US, the second during the 1948 Olympic Games in London.

KNOCKING AT THE I.O.C. DOORS.

For over twenty years due to the efforts of BOB HOFFMAN bodybuilding was the officially recognized sport. Basing on the F.I.H.C. BOB HOFFMAN developed plans about the bodybuilding to become an Olympic kind of sport. For long time the I.O.C. President AVERY BRUNDAGE was supporting the work of BOB HOFFMAN. At that time bodybuilders were respected and they were really proud of bodybuilding. Businessmen like BEN and JOE WEDER brothers were envying BOB HOFFMAN but due to his official position could not be equal to him. BOB HOFFMAN was not only a respectful sport Leader and Trainer. He was a successfull businessman. He was producing sport equipment, proteins. He was issuing sport books and magazines. Also BOB HOFFMAN was financially supporting many sportsmen.

BOB HOFFMAN used to bring best USA weightlifters and bodybuilders to the highest level International contests. It was because of his efforts that for several decades N.A.B.B.A. in Europe had the best USA bodybuilders at the „Universe“ competition.

During the „cold war“ it was BOB HOFFMAN who organized the F.I.H.C. bodybuilding „Mr. Universe“ in the Socialist Warszawa (Poland) in 1959. The contest was held together with the F.I.H.C. Weightlifting World Championship. Then the Socialist people saw „live“ best World‘s bodybuilders first time. The bodybuilding sport started it‘s road to the Socialist World then.

OVERTHROW IN WORLD BODYBUILDING.

In 1969 F.I.H.C. stopped supporting bodybuilding. Until now nobody knows the reason why the General Secretary of F.I.H.C. British OSCAR STATE initiated to change the order and life of the World bodybuilding sport. Though OSCAR STATE worked together in F.I.H.C. with BOB HOFFMAN for many years - to do this he neglected A.A.U. and he had chosen JOE and BEN WEIDER brothers who were running their private I.F.B.B. (International Federation of Body Builders) Company. Going the official way the private I.F.B.B. Company was a zero value. The officially registered International Sport federation was the only way to go. OSCAR STATE made the WEIDER to use his plan. It was OSCAR STATE who wrote the I.F.B.B. Constitution. Then in 1970 in Belgrade (Yugoslavia) the real I.F.B.B. as sport federation was born.

OSCAR STATE knew very well that the federation ment not so much. It needed the membership in G.A.I.S.F. (General Association of International Sports Federations). OSCAR STATE initiated that WEIDER brothers secretly from other International Bodybuilding Organizations (like A.A.U. and N.A.B.B.A.) addressed the G.A.I.S.F. for membership. In 1971 the I.F.B.B. got the G.A.I.S.F. membership. Then all other International bodybuilding leaders and organizations were awakened. It was too late. Rules of G.A.I.SF. declared that only one International federation can represent one kind of sport. The doors of the G.A.I.S.F. were closed for others. World bodybuilding leaders reacted very negatively to this and we will explain about this in our next item of this article soon.

CONGRESS TO STOP I.F.B.B. MEMBERSHIP IN G.A.I.S.F..

In 1972 in Kansas State A.A.U. International Congress was held. The Congress was to discuss the I.F.B.B. membership in G.A.I.S.F.. I.F.B.B. President BEN WEIDER was among the participants of the event. Many well known International Bodybuilding Leaders were against the I.F.B.B. membership in G.A.I.S.F.. They wanted the I.F.B.B. out of the G.A.I.S.F.. To calm down the emotions unexpectedly BEN WEIDER addressed the Congress saying that I.F.B.B. will join the A.A.U.. By voting the BEN WEIDERS decision was supported only by two participants of the Congress. I.F.B.B. could not enter the A.A.U..

Finally the opposition of the WEDER brothers JOE and BEN could not control the situation. BOB HOFFMAN lost and that was the hardest problem of his life.

I.F.B.B. FINANCES.

Being a member of G.A.I.S.F. the I.F.B.B. received not only recognition. G.A.I.S.F. made a possibility for the I.F.B.B. to get governmental money from previous Communist Countries and the Countries of the „Third World“. The mentioned countries basing on membership in W.A.D.A. still finance the I.F.B.B. activities.

Aiming to enlarge their business profits the WEIDER brothers JOE and BEN were seeking for I.F.B.B. the recognition of the I.O.C. (International Olympic Committee). Ending the last century the I.O.C. gave for the I.F.B.B. a two years trial. Very soon after attending I.F.B.B. contests the I.O.C. refused to recognize the I.F.B.B. and stopped any relations with it. Seeing no future in bodybuilding business WEIDER brothers sold the I.F.B.B., the „Olympia“ contest, all magazines and other activities connected with sport. International disorder in bodybuilding started.

In October, 2022 W.A.D.A. (World Anti_Doping Agency) stopped working with the I.F.B.B.. This means that the above mentioned previous Communist Countries and the Countries of the „Third World“ will stop financing the I.F.B.B. federation soon. There are many reasons. For example, at the 2002 I.F.B.B. World Championship (Cairo, Egypt) W.A.D.A. controlled thirty five finalists. Twenty eight of thirty five bodybuilders were positive with doping...

WHERE WE ARE TODAY?

I.F.B.B. was two times split and divided after WEIDER brothers left bodybuilding. Fierce fighting for money started. Every day new „federations“ appear and all of them are not at all connected with sport. These „federations“ have no history, they have no serious future plans – only ill ambitions and wish of money. Their competitions are not official. Think what does it mean „weekends“, „festivals“, „knights“ and ‚rainbows“... ask sport ministry of any country and you will get short answer about them. The chairmen and owners of those „federations“ fool and cheat sport society.

In difference to these „federations“ the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. (World Fitness federation, World Body Building Federation) has a clear vision of bodybuilding future. COVID-19 and war in Ukraine stopped the W.F.F – W.B.B.F. work to reach the goals.

The W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. seeks the official recognition of bodybuilding sport as BOB HOFFMAN did before. There are ways to collaborate with the U.N., U.N.E.S.C.O. and I.O.C.. The work started. We are sure that uniting 140 countries and working together with other International Organizations the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. will fulfill their plans.

INFORMATION.
More detailed information on the Global International Site www.wff.lt, see forum topics. Also information available on the Facebook pages: W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. International, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. North America, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. South America, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Asia, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Europe, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Africa, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Asia Continental Federation, International Sport University (I.S.U., www.isuniversity.lt), W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Pro Division, W.P.S.F. World Power Sports Federation.