GBFA president targets three pro-cards at 2024 IFBB West Africa championships
The Black Muscles clinched five medals at last year's edition of championships, securing a single pro-card.
Abdul Hayye Yartey, president of the Ghana Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (GBFA), expressed confidence in Ghana’s prospects at the upcoming International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) West Africa Championships slated for 25–28 April, 2024, in Accra, Ghana.
Yartey anticipates Ghana securing a minimum of three out of the eight pro cards to be awarded at the event. Pro cards, highly coveted in the bodybuilding community, will be granted to the winners of each of the eight categories featured, including Bodybuilding, Men’s Physique, Men’s Classic Physique, and more.
He attributed previous challenges in claiming pro cards to the stringent requirements set by the game’s regulations. According to him, each category at the event must host a minimum of seven competitors in order to qualify for a pro-card. Categories like Classic Physique and Women’s Wellness often fall short of this threshold due to lower participation levels in West Africa.
“I stated three because, out of the eight pro cards, normally we don’t have enough athletes in the other disciplines and so they don’t really qualify to be [in the] pro card division. The law is like you have to have more than seven competitors in a lineup to be able to term it a pro-card winning lineup.”
The President emphasised efforts made by the GBFA to attract more competitors from other countries, potentially altering the landscape this year. Increased participation, particularly in divisions like Classic Physique and Women’s Wellness, could lead to more pro cards being awarded across various categories.
“We don’t know; we’ve done a lot of work this year in terms of sending the report to other countries. If we have more lineup when it comes to the classic physique and the female wellness, then we will be given pro cards in those divisions as well.”
Reflecting on the previous year’s championships, Ghana’s national bodybuilding and fitness team, the Black Muscles, clinched five medals at the 2023 IFBB West Africa Championships. Notable victories included Francis Nanaberg and Christopher Nton triumphing in the Classic Physique and Men’s Physique categories, respectively. Nton’s success also saw him secure a pro card.
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