Left to right: His Majesty King Abdullah II Bin Al-Hussein, King of Jordan, and his younger brother, Prince Faisal Bin Al-Hussein. The King and his brother are both dedicated sportsmen and ardent supporters of sport in their country.

Prince Faisal Bin Al-Hussein accepts the IFBB Gold Order on behalf of King Abdullah II from Rafael Santonja and Ben Weider

I was recently invited by Dr. Hussein Omar Toga, President of the Jordanian Bodybuilding Federation, to visit Jordan on the occasion of the Jordanian Bodybuilding Championships. I asked my friend and colleague, Rafael Santonja, IFBB Executive Assistant to the President, to accompany me to Amman, site of the 1996 World Men's Championships and International Congress.

We were warmly greeted and, during the visit, met with many key officials like Prince Faisal Bin Al-Hussein, Prince Asem Bin Nayef, Saee'd Shuqum, Minister of Youth and Sport, Mr. Ali Saleh Hilayel, Dr. Nazeh Abdel Rahim, and Dr. Eng. Adel Fahim El Sayed, IFBB Vice President for Africa.

Rafael Santonja and Ben Weider meeting with Prince Asem Bin Nayef, a cousin of King Abdullah II. The Prince is very interested in bodybuilding and actively promotes all sports throughout Jordan

I was very reassured that, under the leadership of Dr. Hussein Omar Toga, the Jordanian Bodybuilding Federation has restructured its Executive Committee to include an extraordinary group of professionals whose task will be to oversee the Federation's Doping Control Program and to ensure drug-free sport.

Ben Weider congratulates Ali Saleh Hilayel, Diploma of Honor recipient

Dr. Nazeh Abdel Rahim (Palestine) and Dr. Hussein Omar Toga (Jordan)

I also had the distinct pleasure of honoring many Jordanian officials with IFBB awards and diplomas.

Upon my return to Canada, I commissioned a Special Edition IFBB Report that has been forwarded to all of our 172 National Federations. This Report also appears in FLEX magazine.

Dr. Eng. Adel Fahim El Sayed, IFBB Vice President for Africa,
Rafael Santonja, IFBB Executive Assistant to the President,
Ben Weider, C.M., C.Q., Ph.D., IFBB President,
and Saee'd Shuqum, Minister for Youth and Sport