*These rules are subject to change without notice. Some rules located at this link also apply to natural contests. Please direct any questions to tblinn@ifbb-proleague.com.
Updates to rules 8, 18, 21, and 28 are effective as of September 10, 2025.
Updates to rules 14, 15, and 17 are effective as of November 25, 2025.
Rule 22A is effective as of December 4, 2025.
The three Governing Authorities for natural amateur contests and links to their doping control rules are:
*NPCWW rules are shown on this page. NPC and CPA rules may differ.
General Rules
Rule 1: Athletes who reside in a country that has a natural Regional requirement must compete in a natural Regional in their country of residence before they can compete in a natural Pro Qualifier anywhere in the world.
RULE 2 – If an Athlete resides in a country with a natural Regional qualification requirement but there are no natural Regionals in that country until later in the year, the Athlete may compete in a natural Pro Qualifier contest anywhere in the world provided:
- the Athlete has competed in a natural Regional contest in the Athlete’s country of residence in the previous year; and
- the natural Pro Qualifier contest is held before the first natural Regional contest in the Athlete’s country of residence.
When the first natural Regional contest is held in the Athlete’s country of residence, the Athlete may not compete in a natural Pro Qualifier contest without first obtaining a current-year natural Regional qualification from the Athlete’s country of residence. Failure to abide by this rule will result in disqualification from the natural Pro Qualifier contest.
Rule 3: Athletes who reside in countries that do not have a natural Regional requirement may compete in a natural Pro Qualifier anywhere in the world.
Rule 4: The following countries have a natural Regional requirement:
Australia, Belgium, China, France, Hong Kong (China), Hungary, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan (China), United Kingdom
Rule 5: Athletes may not qualify for a natural Pro Qualifier by competing in an open Regional.
Rule 6: Athletes may not qualify for an open Pro Qualifier by competing in a natural Regional.
Rule 7: If an Athlete qualifies for an IFBB PRO card at a natural Pro Qualifier contest and, before registering with the IFBB Professional League, competes in a Regional or Pro Qualifier contest or participates in a competition or event that is not sanctioned by the IFBB Professional League, the Athlete’s qualification to apply for the IFBB PRO card is canceled. Participation includes, but is not limited to, competing, judging, officiating, promoting, advertising (to include using one’s name and/or likeness) or otherwise endorsing a competition or event that is not sanctioned by the IFBB Professional League.
Technical Rules
Rule 8: Doping control testing will include at a minimum anabolic agents (S1), as well as diuretics and masking agents (S5). This link provides a complete list of Prohibited Substances.
Rule 9: Athletes using hormone or testosterone replacement therapy are not eligible to compete in NPCWW natural contests.
Rule 10: Therapeutic use exemptions are not permitted for NPCWW natural contests.
Rule 11: The following minimum number of tests must be conducted:
- natural Regional: overall winner in each open division
- natural Pro Qualifier: top 2 in each open division overall
Rule 11A: If a division has less than 5 competitors, they will compete as one class and the top 2 must be tested.
Rule 11B: First place cannot be awarded to a competitor who has not tested negative. The promoter may choose to test the top 2 in each open division overall at a natural Regional.
Rule 12: At a natural Regional, the head judge has authority to test the second-place competitor in an open division overall.
Rule 13: The contest organizer may conduct more than the required minimum number of tests provided:
- The total number of tests to be conducted in each division is clearly indicated on the competitor entry form, and
- NPCWW is given prior notice of the number of tests in each division that exceed the required minimum.
Rule 14: The laboratory used for sample analysis must be professionally accredited.
Rule 15: Urine, blood, and/or polygraph testing may be used at the discretion of the promoter.
Rule 16: Athletes must not have used any performance enhancing drugs within the clean or abstinence periods shown in the table below.
Rule 17: If the type of testing is urine or blood:
- A doping control form (“DCF”) must be signed by the doping control officer (“DCO”) and the athlete that, at a minimum, records the sample ID code. The athlete must be give a copy of the DCF as part of the sample collection process.
- Samples must be sent to one laboratory only.
Penalties
Rule 18: The penalties for a positive urine or blood analysis or failed polygraph are as follows:
- First offense: two-year suspension
- Second offense: lifetime suspension
*The suspension is from all NPC, CPA, and NPCWW contests.
Results Management
Rule 19: NPCWW is responsible for results management (notifying the athlete of a positive urine or blood analysis or failed polygraph and imposing the applicable suspension).
Rule 20: The contest organizer must notify NPCWW immediately after receiving the results from the laboratory or polygraph examiner.
- SUBMIT a copy of the laboratory or polygraph report for a positive urine or blood analysis or failed polygraph.
- DO NOT SUBMIT a copy of the laboratory or polygraph report for a negative urine or blood analysis or passed polygraph. An email advising all athletes tested negative or passed the polygraph is sufficient.
*Processing of earned IFBB PRO cards cannot be completed until NPCWW is notified of the test results.
Rule 21: Test results may be published at the discretion of the promoter. If published, only the following information shall be disclosed:
- Contest name, city, country, date
- Type of contest (Regional or Pro Qualifier)
- Competitor number, division, class, and the words “DQ due to ADRV” (competitor names shall not be published)
*“ADRV” means “Anti-Doping Rule Violation”.
Rule 22: A polygraph failure will result in an immediate suspension.
Rule 22A: Athletes are solely responsible for knowing the clean or abstinence period during which they must not have used a prohibited substance or method (see table below). Disclosure of a prohibited substance or method during the pre-examination phase of a polygraph examination will result in disqualification from the contest and a suspension; the length of which shall be as decided by the applicable Governing Authority.
Rule 23: Except for Rule 28, a urine or blood analysis test will result in an automatic provisional suspension from the date of the test until the official results are received by NPCWW. If warranted, the provisional suspension will become a Rule 18 suspension.
Rule 24: A positive urinalysis or failed polygraph will be recorded as follows:
- If the failure occurred at a natural Regional, the competitor will be marked “DQ”. The second-place competitor will not be awarded first place unless this competitor was tested and returned a negative urine or blood analysis or passed a polygraph.
- If the failure occurred at a natural Pro Qualifier, the competitor will be marked “DQ”. The second-place competitor will be awarded first place provided this competitor was tested and returned a negative urine or blood analysis or passed a polygraph.
Rule 25: Any and all awards that may have been presented to a competitor who is disqualified must be returned to the contest promoter without delay.
Rule 26: Failure to submit to testing, or tampering (or attempting to tamper) to alter the integrity and validity of collected samples, will result in the same penalties as a failed test.
Rule 27: A positive urine or blood analysis or a failed polygraph is not appealable. Retesting is not permitted or recognized.
Back-to-Back Contests
Rule 28: If a natural Regional and a natural Pro Qualifier are back-to-back*, and if the test results from the natural Regional are not known before the natural Pro Qualifier, the athlete may compete in the natural Pro Qualifier under the following conditions:
- If the athlete fails the test from the natural Regional but does not fail the test from the natural Pro Qualifier, the athlete will be disqualified from both contests and will be suspended from the date of the natural Regional and in compliance with Rule 18.
- If the athlete does not fail the test from the natural Regional but fails the test from the natural Pro Qualifier, the athlete will be disqualified from the natural Pro Qualifier and will be suspended from the date of the natural Pro Qualifier and in compliance with Rule 18.
- If the athlete fails the test from the natural Regional and the natural Pro Qualifier, the athlete will be disqualified from both contests and will be suspended from the date of the natural Regional and in compliance with Rule 18.
*The term “back-to-back” means two natural contests; the second of which is held before the test results from the first are known to the applicable Governing Authority.
**Effective December 8, 2025, this applies to back-to-back natural pro qualifiers as well
Pro Card Rules
Rule 29: Athletes who earn an IFBB PRO card at a natural Pro Qualifier may not register as an active (paid) IFBB PRO member or compete in an IFBB PRO contest until the test results are received by NPCWW.
Rule 30: Effective November 15, 2025, if a natural division at a Pro Qualifier contest has less than five competitors, the division winner may petition the IFBB Professional League for IFBB PRO status under the following conditions:
- If the division has more than one but less than five competitors, the top 2 finalists must be tested. If the division has one competitor, that competitor must be tested.
- The petition must be submitted in writing to info@ifbb-proleague.com.
- The petition must be received by the IFBB Professional League no later than 14 days after the date of the Finals.
- The petitioner must include stage photographs of the individual poses and comparison poses.
- If the division is Fitness, the petitioner must include a video of the fitness routine.
- The decision to grant or deny IFBB PRO status will not be made until the test results are known.
| Item # | Prohibited Substance | Clean Period |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Anabolic Agents see note 1 | 3 years |
| 2. | Hormone and Metabolic Modulators | 3 years |
| 3. | Insulin see note 2 | 3 years |
| 4. | Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics see note 3 | 3 years |
| 5. | SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator) see note 4 | 3 years |
| 6. | Thyroid Hormones see note 5 | 3 years |
| 7. | Beta-2 Agonists | 6 months |
| 8. | Diuretics and Masking Agents | 6 months |
| 9. | Insulin Manipulators see note 6 | 6 months |
| 10. | Stimulants | 6 months |
| 11. | Intoxicating Substances see note 7 | 12 hours |
| 12. | Muscle Implants or Injections of any kind see note 8 |
Note 1: Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (Exogenous, Endogenous when administered exogenously), and other Anabolic Agents (e.g. Clenbuterol, Tibolone, Zeranol, Zilpaterol)
Note 2: When used for the purpose of bodybuilding (prescribed insulin is permitted)
Note 3: Including but not limited to EPO, Peptide Hormones and Hormone Modulators, Growth Hormone, Growth Factors and Growth Factor Modulators
Note 4: Andarine, LGD-4033, Ostarine, RAD140
Note 5: When used for bodybuilding purposes including but not limited to: Synthroid, T3, T4 (prescribed thyroid hormones are permitted)
Note 6: When used solely for weight loss (e.g. Wegovy, Ozempic, Metformin, Rybelsus, etc.)
Note 7: Cannabis, Alcohol, Narcotics
Note 8: Including Synthol
