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by Andrew Michalak

Hosted by the IFBB/EBFF Head Office in Madrid and perfectly presided by President Santonja, annual EBFF Executive Council Meeting appeared to be very interesting, creative and productive.

First, President Santonja presented his very interesting report, covering the current situation in the world sport and IFBB steady progression in its aspiration to the IOC recognition. Due to the brilliant policy and skilful, finessed diplomacy, IFBB has already got recognition by the two biggest continental Olympic organizations: Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and Pan American Sport Organization (PASO). Negotiations are run with other regional Olympic sport groups to get their approval and enter their Regional Games. We all, in the Executive Council, know very well how big efforts and work has been done by our President to be so successful in this difficult area, so over 20 Executive Council members and other officials present at the Meeting expressed their thanks and their esteem to the President by long applause.

It has already been approved that the 2016 World Bodybuilding Championships will be held in Benidorm, Spain (November 03-07); the World Fitness Championships in Bialystok, Poland (November 11-13) and the World Children Fitness Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia (mid June) but it was also approved that the World Juniors and Masters Championships will take place in the Dominican Republic (December 09-11) the event will be organized by the IFBB, with the cooperation in logistic area provided by the Dominican Republic National Federation.

Also 6 Arnold Classic Amateur Championships will be held. Despite well-known events in Columbus (USA), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Barcelona (Spain), Australia, South Africa and Hong Kong have been added.

Regarding Olympia Amateur, beside traditional events in Kuwait, Spain, Russia and Hong Kong, we can expect new competitions in Colombia and Jordan.

Already two editions of the Ben Weider Legacy Cup invitational pro qualifier event, will take place along 2016, being the scheduled places for them Lahti and Canada.

IFBB Diamond Cup will be held in Slovakia, Liverpool, Iran and Sweden. For more details, visit the IFBB website (Calendar and News areas).

But there is one very exciting and, maybe, non-expected news: IFBB and EBFF will reinstate the Elite Club competition, which, generally, will accompany continental championships and other big international events like Arnolds and Olympias. It will be a series of several events included Men’s Bodybuilding, Men’s Physique and Women’s Bikini-Fitness, with prize money for the top competitors in the final ranking.
It was voted that EBFF stands for establishing weight/height limits in Men’s and Women’s Physique as well as to introduce new Men’s Physique Open category for a bit heavier competitors.

These are the top news from the recently held EBFF annual Meeting, which was finished with an exciting visit to the Royal Palace in Madrid, when we could admire an outstanding piece of our history and European culture.