The National Physique Committee (NPC) is the largest amateur bodybuilding organization in the United States. Amateur bodybuilders compete in competitions from local to national competitions sanctioned by the NPC. While the term "bodybuilding" is commonly used to refer to athletes participating in contests sanctioned by the NPC and IFBB Pro League, nine divisions are represented including men's bodybuilding, women's bodybuilding, bikini, men's physique, classic physique, women's physique, figure, fitness, and wellness. History The Amateur Athletic Union is an organization that governs many amateur level sports. Each sport has a committee that provides direct oversight of that sport. For the sport of bodybuilding Jim Manion was the president of the Physique Committee. Manion decided that in order to better promote the sport of bodybuilding, he would need to break away from the AAU which he did when he founded the National Physique Committee in the early 1980s. Professional Status The NPC is the only amateur organization recognized by the IFBB Professional League. The IFBB Pro League is the professional league for bodybuilding athletes and the sanctioning body for the world's largest professional contests such as the Mr. Olympia, Arnold Sports Festival, and Legion Sports Fest. In order to become an IFBB professional athlete an athlete must compete at an IFBB Pro Qualifier such as the NPC Nationals Championship, NPC USA Championship, or any other pro qualifier. Professional status will be awarded to top placing athletes. Rules Athletes must possess a valid NPC card to compete in an NPC show. NPC cards are valid for a calendar year. Eligibility An athlete must be a citizen to compete in the following national competitions: Masters National Championships USA Championships Team Universe Championships Nationals Championships Proof of citizenship must be one of the following: A birth certificate A voter’s registration card Military discharge papers Naturalization Papers – Form N560 Consular Service Form FS24 for those born outside of the United States to US parents Residency is four (4) months prior to a contest or must be a full-time student in the area. Backstage The only people permitted in the backstage area are competitors, expediters and NPC officials. Coaches or others may be permitted after paying for a backstage pass, along with tickets to the show. Competitors' Health Any competitor who appears to be disoriented, light-headed or experiences undue cramping will not be permitted to compete. Any competitor disqualified for health reasons must be checked by