*These rules are subject to change without notice. Please direct any questions to tblinn@ifbb-proleague.com.
Updates to rules 8, 18, 21, and 28 are effective as of September 10, 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 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: The following countries have a Regional requirement:
Australia, Belgium, China, France, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom
*Note: Hong Kong (China) and Taiwan (China) also have a Regional requirement.
Rule 3: Notwithstanding Rule 1, if a country has a Regional requirement but does not hold a natural Regional before a natural Pro Qualifier anywhere in the world, athletes may compete in a natural Pro Qualifier without satisfying their Regional requirement only if the natural Pro Qualifier is held before the first natural Regional in the athlete’s country of residence. When the first natural Regional is held in the athlete’s country of residence, athletes residing in that country must satisfy their Regional requirement before competing in any other natural Pro Qualifier anywhere in the world.
Rule 4: Athletes who reside in countries that do not have a Regional requirement may compete in a natural Pro Qualifier anywhere in the world.
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 five competitors, the winner 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 urinalysis must be pre-approved by NPCWW.
Rule 15: Polygraph testing may be used instead of, or in combination with, urinalysis. Polygraph testing requires the prior approval of NPCWW.
Rule 16: Athletes must not have used any performance enhancing drugs within the three-year period before a polygraph examination.
Rule 17: Blood testing may be approved by NPCWW on a case-by-case basis.
Penalties
Rule 18: The penalties for a positive urinalysis 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 urinalysis 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 urinalysis or failed polygraph.
- DO NOT SUBMIT a copy of the laboratory or polygraph report for a negative urinalysis 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)
Rule 22: A polygraph failure will result in an immediate suspension.
Rule 23: Except for Rule 28, a urinalysis 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 urinalysis 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 urinalysis 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 urinalysis or a failed polygraph is not appealable.
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.
Pro Card Rules
Rule 29: Athletes who earn an IFBB PRO card at a natural Pro Qualifier may not compete in an IFBB PRO contest until the test results are received by NPCWW.
