In a letter dated August 13th, 2009, and addressed to the new IFBB President Rafael Santonja, 27 Asian and several South Pacific countries announced their resignation from the federation. Austria also resigned from the IFBB.
Some of the countries and federations pulling out of the IFBB include the Myanmar Bodybuilding Federation, Nepal Bodybuilding and Fitness Association, Oman Federation, Pakistan Bodybuilding Federation, Singapore Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, and the Thailand Bodybuilding Association.
The countries are leaving the IFBB and joining up with the World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation.
The IFBB constitution grants absolute power to federation president Rafael Sanjonja. Unhappy with this aspect of IFBB governance, the resigning countries moved to the WNBF because of it’s transparent policies and democratic approach.
View of copy of the resignation letters in PDF format.
This announcement comes on the heels of Rafael Santonja’s visit to India, and the subsequent controversy surrounding the 43rd Mr. Asia contest.
Santonja attended the July 26th election of Sheik Abdalah of Bahrain as the new president of the Asian Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Electoral Congress.
On July 28th, 2009, the 43rd Mr. Asia Championships, organized by the IFBB, were declared null and void by the Olympic Council of Asia.
A letter from OCA clearly stated that all the activities by IFBB and their group at Aurangabad are null and void. The letter clearly proves that ABBF under the leadership of Osama Alshafar (President) and Datuk Paul Chua (Secretary General) is the only recognized body by OCA and next Asian Beach Games (Bodybuilding) will be conducted under the patronage of the ABBF.
Amit Swami, Assistant Secretary General of the Asian Body Building Federation (ABBF), stated that the majority of Asian countries had boycotted the Asian IFBB event.
There are allegations that the IFBB actively misguided particpants, claiming that over 40 countries would participating in the eventt. Only 10 countries had entrants in the competion.
Swami also alleges? “many irregularities in IFBB itself regarding their working and existence as a sports organisation.”