The International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) is the governing body of the sport of Bodybuilding and Fitness, founded in 1946 in Montreal.

It is a not-for-profit international amateur sport governing body, located in Madrid, Spain, with an Executive Council democratically elected at the IFBB World Congress. Its current President is Dr. Rafael Santonja.

IFBB has 203 national affiliated members and it holds over 6000 events per year at World, Continental, Regional and National levels, for Men and Women, for Juniors, Seniors and Masters’ categories.

The IFBB is member of the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) and recognized by the Association of Pan American Sport Federations (Panamsports), the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), and the Association of National Olympic African Committees (ANOCA).

Bodybuilding and Fitness are Olympic Medalist sports in several Regional Games as the Central American Games, South American Games, Asian Beach Games, Bolivarian Games and Beach Games, the Panamerican Games, World Power Games, and it’s celebrating its recent inclusion in the Central American and Caribbean Games.

IFBB is Signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code and member of the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE), the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee, the International Council of Coach Education (ICCE) and the International World Games Association (IWGA), among many other prestigious international institutions, and is strongly committed in the fight for a healthy lifestyle and a clean sport.

15.1.1 Prejudging: Eliminations Round

When there are more than 15 athletes competing in a category, an elimination round will usually be held for the purpose of reducing the number to 15. If necessary, IFBB Chief Judge may decrease the number of athletes qualifying to the Semifinals to 10 or increase this number to 17. In such cases an elimination round will be held when there are more than 10 and 17 competitors accordingly. Decision will be made and announced after the Official Athletes Registration. The judges will select the top 15 by placing an “X” beside their numbers, using Form 1, entitled “Elimination Round (Judges)”.

Using Form 2, entitled “Elimination Round (Statisticians)”, the statisticians will transcribe the judge’s selections onto this sheet and will then tally the judge’s scores to select the top 15 competitors. When available, it may be done using computer and IFBB-approved software.

If there is a tie between two or more athletes at the 15th place, the tied athletes will be brought back onstage, and will once again be called on stage for the purpose of breaking the tie. Only the top 15 competitors will advance to Round 1.

The details of Elimination Round for each IFBB sports discipline are provided in a Section of rules for this discipline.

15.1.2 Prejudging: Semifinals

Semifinals (Round 1) will immediately follow the Elimination Round. Usually, the top 15 athletes from the Elimination Round compete in the Semifinals If necessary, IFBB Chief Judge may decrease the number of athletes qualifying to the Semifinals to 10 or increase this number to 17. In such cases an elimination round will be held when there are more than 10 and 17 competitors accordingly. Decision will be made and announced after the Official Athletes Registration.

Semifinals round(s) may not be held if there are 7 or less competitors in a category. Decision will be made by the Chief Judge and will be announced after the Official Athlete Registration. Using Form 3, entitled “Judge’s Individual Placing (Prejudging)”, each judge will award each competitor an individual placing from 1st to the last, ensuring that no two or more competitors receive the same placing. The judges may use Form 4, entitled “Judge’s Personal Notes” to record their assessment about each competitor. The scores for the Semifinals will be used to place the top 15 competitors from 1st place to last place. The top 6 competitors from the Semifinals will advance to the Finals. When available, it may be done using computer and IFBB-approved software.

The top 6 finalists may be announced after the Prejudging and before the Finals. The details of Semifinals for each IFBB sports discipline are provided in a Section of rules for this discipline.

15.1.3 Invitational Events

At the Invitational Events the Semifinals (Round 1) may start even when there are more than 15 competitors in a category, with no Elimination Round before. The IFBB Chief Judge will decide the number of competitors in comparisons.

15.1.4 Finals

Only the top 6 athletes from the Semifinals will take part in the Finals. They will start the Finals with zero points. Each judge will award each competitor an individual placing from 1st to 6th, ensuring that no two or more competitors receive the same placing. The statisticians will transcribe each judge’s placing onto Form 5, entitled “Score Sheet (Statisticians)”, under the Finals section. At the end of the Finals, the “FINAL SCORE” will be produced. When available, it may be done using computer and IFBB-approved software. Points from the Prejudging (Round 1 and Round 2) are not taken into consideration in the Finals. Each competitor begins the Finals with “zero points”. The competitor with the lowest “FINAL SCORE” is awarded 1st place while the competitor with the highest “FINAL SCORE” is awarded 6 th place.The details of the Finals for each IFBB sports discipline are provided in a Section of rules devoted for this discipline.

18.1 Teams Classification:

The Teams Classification scoring includes competitors as specified below:

18.1.1 At the World Bodybuilding Championships, the results of the following competitors from each National Team, but no more than 2 per category, will be taken into consideration to47 calculate the total points of each team:

1. Men Bodybuilding - top 6
2. Men Classic Bodybuilding - top 3
3. Men Games Classic Bodybuilding - top 2
4. Men’s Physique - top 4
5. Muscular Men’s Physique – top 1
6. Men Classic Physique – top 3

18.1.2 At the World Fitness Championships, the results of the following competitors from each National Team, but no more than 2 per category, will be taken into consideration to calculate the total points of each team:

1. Men Fitness - top 1
2. Women Acrobatic Fitness - top 2
3. Women Artistic Fitness – top 1
4. Women’s Physique – top 1
5. Women Bodyfitness - top 3
6. Women Bikini - top 5
7. Women Wellness - top 3
8. Mixed Pairs - top 1
9. Fit Pairs – top 1

18.1.3 At the World Juniors Championships, the results of the following competitors from each National Team, but no more than 2 per category, will be taken into consideration to calculate the total points of each team:

1. Junior Men Bodybuilding 16-20 years - top 1
2. Junior Men Bodybuilding 21-23 years - top 2
3. Junior Men Classic Bodybuilding 16-20 years - top 1
4. Junior Men Classic Bodybuilding 21-23 years - top 1
5. Junior Men Games Classic Bodybuilding 16-20 years - top 1
6. Junior Men Games Classic Bodybuilding 21-23 years - top 1
7. Junior Men Classic Physique 16-20 years - top 1
8. Junior Men Classic Physique 21-23 years - top 1
9. Junior Men’s Physique 16-20 years - top 1
10. Junior Men’s Physique 21-23 years - top 2
11. Junior Men Fitness 16-20 years - top 1
12. Junior Men Fitness 21-23 years - top 2
13. Junior Women Acrobatic Fitness 16-20 years - top 1
14. Junior Women Acrobatic Fitness 21-23 years - top 2
15. Junior Women Artistic Fitness 16-20 years - top 1
16. Junior Women Artistic Fitness 21-23 years - top 1
17. Junior Women Bodyfitness 16-20 years - top 1
18. Junior Women Bodyfitness 21-23 years - top 1
19. Junior Women Bikini 16-20 years - top 1
20. Junior Women Bikini 21-23 years - top 2
21. Junior Women Wellness 16-20 years - top 1
22. Junior Women Wellness 21-23 years - top 1

18.1.4 At the World Masters Championships, the results of the following competitors from each National Team, but no more than 2 per category, will be taken into consideration to calculate the total points of each team:

1. Master Men Bodybuilding, age 40-44 - top 3
2. Master Men Bodybuilding, age 44-49 - top 3
3. Master Men Bodybuilding, age 50-54 - top 1
4. Master Men Bodybuilding, age 55-59 - top 1
5. Master Men Bodybuilding, age 60-64 - top 147
6. Master Men Bodybuilding, age 65 & over - top 1
7. Master Men Classic Bodybuilding - top 2
8. Master Men Games Classic Bodybuilding - top 1
9. Master Men Classic Physique – top 2
10. Master Men’s Physique – top 2
11. Master Women’s Physique - top 1
12. Master Women Bodyfitness – top 2
13. Master Women Bikini - top 2
14. Master Women Wellness - top 2

18.1.5 At the World Fit-Model Championships, the results of the following competitors from each National Team, but no more than 2 per category, will be taken into consideration to calculate the total points of each team:

1. Men Fit-Model - top 2
2. Women Fit-Model - top 3
3. Junior Women Fit-Model – top 1
4. Master Women Fit-Model – top 1

18.1.6 At the World Children Fitness Championships the results of the following competitors from each National Team, but no more than 2 per age category, will be taken into consideration to calculate the total points of each team:

1. Girls Fitness - top 5
2. Boys Fitness - top 2

18.2 A separate teams classification for Women’s categories and for Men’s categories will also be run.

18.3 The Teams Classification calculations will proceed as follows:

At the world and continental level IFBB international competitions the Judges Secretary will use the IFBB official computer application program to calculate each country’s points “total” and “place”. At other competitions, where the computer application program is not available，the Judges Secretary will use the “Score Sheet (Statisticians)” for all of the categories included in the Championships (according to the Inspection Report) in order to enter the names of the top 10athlete’s countries in each category on Form 8, entitled “Best National Team”, and will then usethis sheet to calculate each country’s points “total” and “place”. When the top three national teams have been determined, a victory ceremony similar to that of the category victory ceremony will be held. The IFBB President, or his representative, will present the Best NationalTeam awards, in the following order: 3rd place winner, 2nd place winner and the winning team,said awards which will be provided by the organizing National Federation, to the top 3 countries.The complete Teams Classification will be a part of the final Results of the competition.

18.4 The chief delegates or team leaders of the top 3 countries will accept the awards on behalf of their countries.

18.5 If a tie exists between two or more countries, the tie will be broken by determining which country has the “most number-one places, most number-two places, most number-three places”, etc. If a tie still exists, the country which entered more competitors to the Championships will be placed higher.

18.6 Points awarded to National Federation for individual places won by its top competitors:

IFBB WORLD & CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS