A Natural Regional is a bodybuilding and fitness competition conducted under natural standards. The use of any performance-enhancing or prohibited substances is strictly forbidden.
All athletes competing in a Natural Regional are required to sign a written consent for drug testing at the weigh-in. In addition, they must confirm in writing that they are not using and have not used any prohibited substances. Drug tests may be carried out on a random or targeted basis, either before or after the competition.
The Natural Regional is designed to ensure fair competition, transparency, and equal conditions for all athletes, while promoting health, integrity, and true athletic performance.
All detailed rules, testing procedures, banned substances, and eligibility requirements are defined by NPC Worldwide. Athletes are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the complete Natural Rules, which are published on the official NPC Worldwide website at:
https://www.npcworldwide.com
Any athlete who violates the Natural Rules or refuses to comply with testing procedures will be disqualified and may face additional sanctions.
A Regional is an official amateur bodybuilding and fitness competition sanctioned by NPC Worldwide. It serves as a qualifying and ranking event within the NPC system and is open to athletes who meet the eligibility requirements of NPC Worldwide.
At a Regional competition, athletes compete in their respective divisions and classes according to NPC Worldwide rules and judging criteria. The focus is on physique development, presentation, and overall performance on stage.
Athletes are responsible for complying with all general NPC Worldwide rules and regulations.
After competing in an Open category at a Regional event, Austrian athletes receive an official Regional Certificate. This certificate is issued automatically after the competition and is digitally stored in the NPC Worldwide system. No separate application is required.
The Regional Certificate confirms the athlete’s participation in an Open category at a Regional competition and may be required for future registrations or qualifications within the NPC system.
All official rules, divisions, eligibility requirements, and competition standards are defined by NPC Worldwide and are published on the official NPC Worldwide website at:
https://www.npcworldwide.com
Novice
The Novice category is open to athletes with limited competition experience. Eligibility is based on the current calendar year. An athlete may compete in Novice as long as they have not won first place in their class at an NPC Regional competition during the same year. Once an athlete wins their class in a Novice division, they are no longer eligible to compete in Novice for the remainder of that calendar year.
True Novice
The True Novice category is strictly for first-time competitors within the NPC system. It is open only to athletes who have never competed in an NPC competition before. Previous participation or results in other federations or organizations do not affect True Novice eligibility.
Summary
Novice is for athletes with limited experience who have not won a class in the current calendar year.
True Novice is exclusively for athletes making their first-ever appearance at an NPC competition.
All definitions, eligibility rules, and category regulations are set by NPC Worldwide and are published on the official website:
https://www.npcworldwide.com
NPC stands for National Physique Committee. It is an American company based in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. Its president is Jim Manion.
NPC Worldwide is an association of private organizers of amateur bodybuilding championships, which are held worldwide according to the sporting regulations of the NPC.
Permission to organize NPC championships rests solely with NPC company management.
The NPC has no federation structure.
The NPC is open to athletes from all sports associations and sports organizations.
The NPC does not issue any bans if athletes also start with other organizers after starting with them.
The NPC therefore does not know of any fines being paid by banned athletes to an association or club to shorten the ban.
Only through NPC championships can you get a Pro Card of the legendary IFBB Pro League.
Your way to the Olympia stage starts at the NPC.
All NPC athletes with a valid NPC Worldwide membership and a valid Regional Certificate can participate in a Pro Qualifier.
The Pro Qualifier Championships offer you the opportunity to get the legendary IFBB PRO Card after you have achieved the overall victory in the respective class.
With this you can take part in PRO championships and compete with the best of the best. As soon as you have accumulated enough points in these championships or achieved a victory in a PRO championship, you have the opportunity to participate in the Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas.
The first step will be to contact office@npcaustria.at
In it you announce that you need an official invitation. You also provide your exact address, your date of birth and your country of origin.
Once you are registered for our show and payment has been made, you will receive an official invitation to our show. With this invitation you go to the relevant authority and ask for a visa.
If your country does not issue a visa, you will receive a 100% refund of the transferred amount.
Under the NPC Worldwide rules, there are specific exceptions to the mandatory status requirement.
If no NPC Regional competition has taken place in an athlete’s country of residence during the current calendar year, the athlete may register directly for a Pro Qualifier without holding a Regional Certificate.
Once an NPC Regional competition has been held in the athlete’s home country within the same calendar year, the mandatory status applies, and a valid Regional Certificate from that country is required for Pro Qualifier registration.
The Regional Certificate is valid only for the current competition year and is issued automatically after competing in an Open category at a Regional event in the athlete’s country of residence.
Some countries within the NPC Worldwide system have a mandatory status. Athletes residing in these countries are required to obtain a valid Regional Certificate from their home country before they can register for a Pro Qualifier.
After competing in an Open category at a Regional event in the athlete’s country of residence, an official Regional Certificate is issued automatically and stored digitally in the NPC Worldwide system. No separate application is required.
Austria has mandatory status. Therefore, Austrian athletes must normally compete at an NPC Regional in Austria and obtain a Regional Certificate before entering a Pro Qualifier.
If no NPC Regional competition has taken place in the athlete’s country of residence during the current calendar year, the athlete is allowed to register directly for a Pro Qualifier without holding a Regional Certificate. Once a Regional competition has been held in the athlete’s home country, the Regional Certificate requirement applies.
The Regional Certificate is valid for the current competition year and may be required during Pro Qualifier registration.
All mandatory status rules, affected countries, and certification regulations are defined by NPC Worldwide and are published on the official NPC Worldwide website:
https://www.npcworldwide.com
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