Bodybuilding knocking on Commonwealth's door

By Rob Wilkins, Special Assistant to the IFBB

Photo caption: Pictured with from left to right - Luke Pondros, Papua New Guinea Bodybuilding Federation Secretary, Philip Hope, President South Pacific & IFBB Vice President, South Pacific, Sir John Dawanincura, Papua New Guinea Sports Federation and Olympic Committee Secretary General & Donald Kaiwi, Men's Overall Winner, 2005 South Pacific Championships, Tahiti.

In 1930, the inaugural Commonwealth Games took place in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The purpose of this athletic event was to develop understanding, cooperation and trust amongst the Commonwealth of Nations. An astonishing four hundred athletes from Australia, Bermuda, British Guiana, Canada, England, Northern Ireland, Newfoundland, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa and Wales participated in sports such as aquatics, boxing, rowing and wrestling. Recently, the list of events has expanded to include cycling, table tennis, weightlifting and basketball. The Commonwealth Games are held every four years with the exception of 1942 and 1946, due to World War II.

Bodybuilding is not yet officially recognized by the Commonwealth Games however, thanks to the dedication and hard work of the Commonwealth Games Bodybuilding Federation (CWBBF), it may soon gain official status and be a part of these games which are also recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

The CWBBF was created in December 1998 in Malacca, Malaysia. Its main focus is to align the sport of bodybuilding with the Commonwealth Games and promote and develop the sport of bodybuilding throughout the Commonwealth, which includes many countries in Europe, Asia, the South Pacific Region and the America's.

Leading the CWBBF are Datuk Paul Chua, CWBBF Secretary General & IFBB Vice President for Asia, Datuk Wira Gan Boon Leong, CWBBF President and Philip Hope, CWBBF Vice President whom is also President of the South Pacific Bodybuilding Federation and IFBB Vice President South Pacific. The first Commonwealth Bodybuilding Championships took place in Malacca, Malaysia December 1998.

In April 2002, the second Commonwealth Bodybuilding Championships were held in Calcutta, India. This was a spectacular event as over forty bodybuilders from six countries participated in the finals vying for medals. Demonstrating the immense popularity bodybuilding enjoys in India, a capacity crowd of 10,000 enthusiastic fans attended the championship cheering feverishly for their favorite competitors.

Recently the 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Australia and whilst the sport of bodybuilding was not on the official programme, the next venue for the 2010 Commonwealth Games is Delhi, India and with the determined efforts of CWBBF officials, it is hoped that the sport of bodybuilding will be held in conjunction with this major event.

For more information on the CWBBF, contact:

Datuk Paul Chua
Secretary General
35 Tannery Road #04-01
Ruby Industrial Complex
Tannery Block
SINGAPORE 347740
Telephone: (65) 67470635/6, (65) 67430297, (65) 67486970
Facsimile: (65) 67479846
E-mail: abbfasia@yahoo.com.sg

For the most current information related to the IFBB, visit the web site at www.ifbb.com

Rob Wilkins is a Master Sergeant in the US Air Force stationed at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Wilkins is also a Special Assistant to the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB) and a recipient of the IFBB Gold Medal. To contact Wilkins, e-mail him at robifbb@yahoo.com