INT. BODYBUILDING AND FITNESS ORGANIZATIONS

[Edita Sendriene]

WORLD BODYBUILDING HISTORY IN ONE PAGE.
ARTICLE IS ON THE WAY.
In the article we will speak about official sport only. We will cover World bodybuilding history shortly.
During the last Century World was didvided in to two parts – „Capitalist“ („Western“) and Socialist. Being in confrontation both parts communicated in between very little. Through A.A.U. („Amateur Athlete‘s Union“, established in 1888) basing on Olympic weightlifting sport in 1940 bodybuilding was controlled by USA weightlifting authority BOB HOFFMAN (Robert Collins Hoffman, 1898 - 1985 m.). Due to efforts of BOB HOFFMAN World‘s bodybuilding sterted to be governed by International F.I.H.C. (F.I.H., „Federation Internationale Halterophile“) federation. F.I.H.C. was a member of the International Olympic Committee (Tarptautinis Olimpinis Komitetas, I.O.C., М.О.К., Международный Олимпийский Комитет). This way bodybuilding became officially recognized sport. For many years there were many misunderstandings about the I.F.B.B. (International Federation of Body Builders) commercial company. In 1946 one of founders of the I.F.B.B. BEN WEIDER wrote in his biography, saying he was so much happy when I.F.B.B. made it‘s first business – sold for several dollars two barbells... That was the start of the I.F.B.B. company. When I.F.B.B. commercial company started organizing bodybuilding contests – F.I.H.C. was leading World‘s bodybuilding at that time. Nobody could replace I.O.C. member F.I.H.C.. World‘s bodybuilding strategy was created and developed by F.I.H.C..
„Socialist“ bodybuilding was separated from the „Western“. Both did not communicate at all. In 1959 BOB HOFFMAN presenetd bodybuilding sport to Socialist countries. Influenced by BOB HOFFMAN International „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation“ («Федерация культуризма С.С.С.Р.») was created. It was governed by the „U.S.S.R. Ministry of Sport“ («Министерство спорта С.С.С.Р.»). The federation was not working. Then in 1968 another „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation“ was created in Kaunas (Lithuanian SSR). This federation was not under the U.S.S.R. Government and it was active until bodybuilding was prohibited in Socialist Countries in 1973.
Full article we will present soon. Follow International Page www.wff.lt