Frequent Questions
Membership
Affiliation contributes to the anti-doping tests carried out throughout the year, in accordance with the WNBF anti-doping policy, and to the development of natural bodybuilding in Portugal. It also directly contributes to the organization of events and to keeping the WNBF Portugal circuit active. It also allows you to watch WNBF Portugal competitions for free as a spectator, without the right to a reserved seat.
Yes. To participate in any WNBF amateur competition, in Portugal or abroad, you must have an active and valid WNBF Portugal Annual Membership.
To compete in Legends League you must have a valid WNBF membership from your home country. If there is an affiliated WNBF federation in your country, you must compete with that federation’s affiliation under that country’s qualification rules.
No. The Annual Membership is non-refundable under any circumstances, including personal, sporting or other reasons that prevent you from competing.
The membership is valid until the end of the calendar year in which you purchase it (31 December). It is personal and non-refundable.
Legends League Registration
First you need active Annual Membership. Then, you go to the Legends League product page, select your categories, and complete registration. At checkout you will fill in your athlete details (date of birth, gender, height, Instagram, stage weight, etc).
Yes. Membership is mandatory and must be active before registration. On the Legends League page you can add the Annual Membership to your cart along with your registration if you don’t already have one.
Yes. Legends League registration includes one category. Each additional category (Crossover) costs €49 and is automatically added to the cart when you select more than one category on the LegendsLeague page.
Yes. Select all the desired categories on the LegendsLeague page, or click on the Services Menu, and purchase the number of Crossovers you wish to compete in; each additional category costs €49.
Yes. At checkout you have the option “I want an invoice with NIF” — just activate it and fill in the NIF.
No. Membership and registration fees are non-refundable. In duly proven cases of force majeure, namely for health reasons, exceptions may be analyzed on an individual basis, always subject to analysis and decision by the WNBF Portugal team.
Anti-Doping / Polygraph
Yes. The polygraph is mandatory for all athletes, with no exceptions. It is an intense test, carried out in the days leading up to the event. The date and time will be booked in advance.
The polygraph test itself usually takes between 20 and 30 minutes. The preliminary interview and completing the athlete questionnaire take additional time. You should arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled time and bring a valid photo ID (national ID card, driving licence or passport).
No. Due to the strict anti-doping policy and the requirement to be free of banned substances, all athletes must test with a polygraph professional approved and licensed by the WNBF.
10 years without any anabolic substances and pharmaceutical hormones on the prohibited list, and 2 years without over-the-counter hormones, prohormones, prohibited substances or their chemical equivalents.
Yes. A number of athletes are subject to anti-doping tests through urinalysis, carried out after the competition or during the off-season. These samples are sent to WADA laboratories.
First compare the ingredients against the WNBF banned substance list and the current WADA Prohibited List. Research thoroughly before raising any question about supplements or medication.
Categories and Divisions
Athletes aged between 16 and 19 are considered Teen athletes. An athlete cannot be 20 years old on the day of the competition. Athletes under 18 years of age need the signature of a guardian to authorize participation.
Athletes aged between 20 and 23 are Junior athletes. A Junior athlete cannot be 24 years old on the day of the competition.
Novice athletes are newcomers, athletes who have already competed but did not qualify, or who did not place in the top 3 of an Open class. From 2026, Novice athletes can choose to also compete in the Open. If you win a Novice class you can choose to compete in the overall.
Intended for athletes with some competitive experience, whose physique is at a level close to competing for a WNBF professional card and being competitive with WNBF professionals.
AWeight categories apply to Men’s Bodybuilding. Athletes weigh in at check-in. The suggested classes are:
- Bantamweight: under 68 kg
- Lightweight: 68.03 – 74.84 kg
- Middleweight: 74.95 – 79.83 kg
- Light Heavyweight: 79.94 – 86.18 kg
- Heavyweight: 86.30 kg and over
Height categories apply to Men’s Physique and Classic Physique:
- Short: up to 170 cm
- Medium: 170 cm to 178 cm
- Tall: over 178 cm
These are suggested classes. Promoters may amend the cut-offs after registration closes, to group athletes as evenly as possible and maintain fairness in judging. At small shows classes may be reduced; at large shows more classes can be used.