Page 152 - BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024-2025

2024 IFBB INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS

meetings were those with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and International Testing Agency (ITA) focused on new
strategies and implementation plans for the antidoping program, aiming towards regaining compliance and establishing
new requirements regarding testing policy and calendar. These Meetings took place in December 2023 and October
2024 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
President Santonja participated in the Opening Ceremony of the biggest 2024 sport event in the world – Olympic Games
in Paris. Also took part in the SportAccord Convention in Birmingham, United Kingdom, and in the World Assembly of
National Olympic Committees in Cascais, Portugal. Always promoting our sport and our Federation in numerous formal and
informal meetings, coffee-breaks and dinners with top sport officials and politicians like the IOC Vice-Presidents: Ms. Nicole
Hoeverts and Mr. Juan Antonio Samaranch, and Prime Minister of Barbados, Ms. Mia Amor Mottley.
New presidential initiative was a series of meetings with Continental Federations in January 2024 at the IFBB
Headquarters in Madrid. These meetings included top IFBB officials from Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe. Not only
the 2024 Calendars of Events for each continent were discussed but also analysis of the current situation, institutional
relations and new proposals and projects. Later, many of them were adopted by the IFBB Congress.

ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT

Following the President’s Report, the next important document was discussed and finally unanimously approved by the
Congress: the IFBB annual financial report, which showed positive balance, what is especially important information in
reference to the activity of each organization.

READMITION OF RUSSIA AND BELARUS

IFBB Executive Council adopted the resolution readmitting Russia and Belarus, what was later approved by the
Congress, so National Teams of those countries may once again participate in all international events from the IFBB
Calendar.
Other important Congress decision regarding the general rules was tied with the “residency status” of athletes. In
general, athletes may represent other country than their origin if they stay in this new country legally, having the
“resident status”; however, the Congress approved the additional requirement for the future: an athlete will have to
apply for permission from the Federation of origin which has 30 days to submit a reply. If an athlete receives no answer,
then it means that he can compete for his country of residence.

NEW SPORT DIVISIONS AND CATEGORIES

Games Categories. The Congress approved to increase and give maximum importance to the Games Categories in
order to face the non-sense of the so called “natural events”. Later, this idea has evolved into creation of Fit
Bodybuilding as well as the “Fit” version of the other sport divisions: Men’s Physique, Classic Physique, Classic
Bodybuilding, Games Classic Bodybuilding, Bikini, Wellness, Artistic Fitness.
Regarding new categories, the following changes have been approved:

• There will be 2 body height categories in Women’s Artistic Fitness: up to 163 cm and over 163 cm.
• Female Artistic Fit-Model category has been introduced as a test category in 2025.
• Updated rules for Fitness Challenge and Speed-Fit have been approved.

ATTIRES CONTROL

Having so many sport divisions with different rules regarding contest attire for each round, it is necessary to control if
the attires are in compliance with the regulations. Now, the Chief Judge will have to appoint one or more judges who
will check the athlete’s attire before entering the stage. Usually, National Federation’s officials should check the
competitor’s attire at the qualification contest but sometimes athletes use new attire going abroad to the international
events.
Considering the above resolutions, especially introduction of the Fit division, we can say that 2024 IFBB International
Congress was a milestone in the IFBB history after the 1970 Congress, when the first IFBB Constitution and
organizational structure were approved.

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