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	Home Talk Live Lori Contests Nutrition Homegrown Training Galleries Muscle Scoop Die Welt About Us		Ben Weider Travels to Egypt By Rob Wilkins Special Assistant for the IFBB In 1947, serving in his role as bodybuilding's number one ambassador, Ben Weider made one of his first and most important trips to advance bodybuilding on an international basis. Home of the River Nile and rich in culture, Weider traveled to the Cairo, Egypt, as a guest of one of the world's most famous weightlifting champions and Egypt's Minister of Sport, Mr. El Saeed Nossier. Nossier was a powerful man in Egypt, in both the political and sports worlds. The Egyptian people were extremely proud of their world champion and his sport exploits made him one of the most well known figures in Egypt (ranked just below King Farouk). Nossier, besides being a world champion, also served as a weightlifting coach and developed the Egyptian team into the most powerful weightlifting team in the world, even surpassing that of the United States, who had established a firm reputation as the preeminent weightlifting team in the world. Nossier had a knack for creating world champions and two of his most successful and popular students were El Geissa and Shams. Thanks to Nossier's efforts, Egypt firmly established itself as the Mecca for weightlifters. In 1947, the IFBB had only two members, the United States and Canada. Weider realized in order to promote bodybuilding on an international level and help secure its growth, it was vital he cultivate friendships in the Middle East. Already having developed a great relationship with one of Egypt's all-time great athletes, Cairo, became his first stop. For many years, Weider corresponded and exchanged training principles and ideas with Nossier which developed into a friendship of mutual trust and respect. Arriving in the fascinating city of Cairo, Weider was warmly received as a close member of Nossier's family even though this was their first meeting. Although Nossier was not a bodybuilder, he immediately understood the positive benefits associated to bodybuilding and immediately lent his cooperation and support to help build the foundation for the bodybuilding movement in Egypt and later for other Arab nations. For over five decades, Egypt has been a great supporter and friend to the IFBB. Egyptian bodybuilders have captured many world championships and the Egyptian Organizing Committee, under the superb leadership of the President of the Egyptian Bodybuilding Federation and IFBB Vice President for Africa, Dr. Eng. Adel Fahim El Sayed, rose to the mammoth task of organizing and hosting the 56th World Amateur Men's Bodybuilding Championships in 2002. An enthusiastic crowd of over 5,000 bodybuilding fans jammed into the Cairo International Stadium to witness the World Amateur Men's Championships prejudging and finals. The fans provided an awesome welcome to all delegates representing 68 countries and competitors and were especially enthusiastic when 5-time Egyptian World Champion, El Shahat Mabrouk graced the stage. Back in 1947, Weider had a dream to promote the sport of bodybuilding internationally. Thanks to the initial support of his friends in Egypt and his unrelenting drive to promote bodybuilding and the IFBB, he has traveled to over 110 countries. 173 countries are now affiliated with the IFBB and the future of the federation is as exciting as ever. For the most current information related to the IFBB, visit our web site at www.ifbb.com Rob Wilkins, originally from Linden, N.J., is a Master Sergeant in the US Air Force stationed at The Pentagon, Washington, DC. Wilkins is also a Special Assistant for the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) and a recipient of the IFBB Gold Medal. To contact Wilkins e-mail him at Robifbb@yahoo.com.