This is something I've been saying for ages...
It is too easy in many parts of the world to get an IFBB pro card!
In the states it isn't easy because the NPC national level is a high level - although even that standard seems to be dropping - but in most other countires all you have to do to get a card is win your nationals and then boom you are a pro.
Actually, generally it is the complete opposite. Europe is the only part when that is true. There, they to tend to 'gift' pro cards to people, especially figure girls. South America it is not that hard either. In most of the 192 nations it is very hard to get a pro card, much more so than in the states. If it was so easy to go pro for rest of the world - the ifbb would not be majority American like how it is now.
For some nationals the only way they can go pro is at the World Championships...which Americans are eligible for as well....and they only dish one card a year...so for many throughout the world they have a card a year to shoot for. Americans depending on their category have about 20 cards a year in total to go for. Figure is the worst example of this...one show alone America has 12 cards available, they have well in excess of 20+ cards a year - but in my division of the IFBB [compromising 38 nations] we have zero figure pro cards available to us...the only chance the girl has is to win the one card per year available at the worlds. Also, for our male bodybuilders - 1 card annually for 38 nations....People like Darrem and Gustavo spent quite a while to go pro here.
Plus - remember that except for the US and Canada the IFBB drug tests stringently. Not some crap ass diuretics deal, the real deal. Most places you have to test clear to be eligible for the proqualifier, and you also must pass another test to get pro status. There are also pesky random tests through in the year in some areas. Positive tests mean they deny you your pro card. Also, if the winner tests positive - they don't bump up 2nd place to go pro. They 'vacate' the placement, so some years some moron test positive and there is no pro card given. If we tested every Americans and Canadian and revoked any cards for positive tests.....the IFBB would be pretty empty
Not saying that guy doesn't look like crap of course, as he does. He's European though. Over there it is becoming increasingly easy to go pro, and it makes it look like the whole world is easy to go pro - it isn't. Just some European nations when for some daft reason they are giving pro cards to winners of national shows of relatively small nations.
I agree with you though - if people look like ass, they really should not be pro
