IFBB clears way for local bodybuilders for local bodybuilders

By Romario Samaroo

After much upset in the local bodybuilding community, President of the Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GABBFF), Keavon Bess has assured that the Federation has secured a waiver of the outstanding debts owed to the International Federation of Fitness and Bodybuilding (IFBB).

Bess related the good news to Guyana Times Sport on Thursday, stating that he “would have been asked by many persons why we could not cover the fees that caused the athletes to miss the competition in Ohio.”

Ever since, the GABBFF took it upon themselves to have the issue sorted out and as a result of their determination to remedy the issue, Bess said “the update is since that last incident an arrangement has been made with the IFBB which is the parent company and we have been able to come to a compromise whereby we can pay the 2017 fee and the athletes can compete at any other IFBB sanctioned competition for 2017.”

He went on to point out that “the registration date for that competition was January 31, so we would not be able to make that registration date.

On the other hand, the GABBFF President informed that while no definite word was given on the complete waiver, “discussions are still in the pipeline to have the entire outstanding sum which is in excess of one million dollars probably almost two to have that sum waived and for us to work from 2017 onwards.”

But nevertheless, the Attorney-At-Law highlighted that it is his view that the IFBB would be seeking a ‘face to face engagement’ in order to have the issue resolved.

However, Bess said it was a sad reality that “the IFBB headquarters is in Madrid, Spain and that is very costly” to visit but another alternative, the council noted that “perhaps when I visit Mexico in September, if reappointed president, I should be able to engage face to face with the persons heading the IFBB and to have the entire sum waived but the feedback thus far from the heads of the IFBB is that they willing to erase the outstanding sum.”

According to the GABBFF President, “I think a large part of that, was our Olympic Association headed by [K.A.] Juman Yassin, would has given a lot of support to the IFBB.” Relating that because of his efforts, “now bodybuilding would be a sport at the next Pan-Am Games.”

He compared the issue to what is called “a hand wash hand basically operation” as he added ” much thanks to Mr. Yassin for establishing that relationship and I am almost certain we would get that sum waived.”