IBFA split explained: Matthew Ali reveals why UK bodybuilding fed broke away
In an exclusive interview, IBFA UK president Matthew Ali outlines the governance issues, declining standards and disputed incident he says led to the split
By Gary Chappell
IBFA UK president Matthew Ali claims the IBFA split was rooted in governance failures, declining international standards and a breakdown in trust following an alleged serious conduct incident at last season’s British Championships.
Ali says the move towards independence began not as an act of defiance, but as a practical necessity.
In order to open a community bank account and formalise UK operations, Ali says he was required to register an entity in his own name. That process, completed in October, led to the registration of the Independent Bodybuilding Fitness Association UK, while continuing to operate domestically under the IBFA UK banner.
Ali said: “The ‘independent’ part didn’t start as a breakaway. It started because I needed to open a proper bank account. To do that, I had to register a name and I wasn’t prepared to run UK shows through someone else’s identity.”
Allegations of misconduct at British Championships
According to Ali, tensions escalated following an incident at last season’s British Championships in Blackpool, involving a German-linked sponsor.
Ali alleges the individual became intoxicated, accused judges of fixing results, and caused distress backstage. He says he initially attempted to defuse the situation and allowed the individual to remain at the event and present trophies.
Ali said: “The guy in question was Kyle Vice. His father, Terry, competed in the show and came second. Kyle went backstage and started screaming and shouting about the result, saying we had fixed it. Kyle’s father said, ‘Listen, stop, I’m happy with the result, stop acting like this.’ But Kyle was saying, ‘No, no, Martin [Yates Brown] fixed it.’
“I asked Kyle what was going on and he said, ‘Let’s go outside. You’ve got a problem because I’m IBFA Germany.’”
Allegations: Matthew Ali
Ali says the individual was removed from the venue but later asked to return after apologising. “Security told me he was outside saying he was sorry, so I let him back in and allowed him to present the trophies for the class he sponsored.
“But after the show, people started messaging me saying they were really offended by what had gone on. So Martyn [honorary president Martyn Yates Brown] and I spoke and decided we had to make an example of it. That’s when we issued a lifetime ban.”
Ali says that ban was not well received internationally. “They told me it had to be discussed with other countries,” he said. “That’s when things started to change.”
Concerns over international standards
Ali also raised concerns about standards at recent international events, including the World Championships in Rome, which he says featured fewer than 30 competitors – nearly half of them from the UK.
He claims UK athletes were returning unimpressed, which he believes damaged the credibility of domestic titles.
Ali said: “When I went to the World Championships in Rome there were about 20 to 30 competitors in total – 12 of them were mine. Without the UK team there wouldn’t have been a show. There were people doing a class where they were the only competitor in it. I said it was devaluing the federation. In Britain, any one of my overall winners could take the Worlds easily.
“Without the 12 athletes we brought over, there wouldn’t have been a show. There was even one guy who did six or so classes.”
Ali also criticised the quality of trophies used at the IBFA Worlds and Universe. “Another bit of feedback I gave them was that they give women trophies of men,” he said. “Women don’t want a man’s trophy. Temugin [Filizola, of IBFA Italy] said, ‘Women like the trophies,’ but I told him I’d spoken to my athletes and they don’t.
“They’re made of Plaster of Paris – you make them yourself – and sometimes they crumble or break in people’s hands.”
Rejected proposals and breakdown in communication
Ali says he repeatedly offered to help rebuild the international calendar by hosting a Universe competition in the UK, saying he could guarantee strong numbers and support from British athletes. He claims those proposals were rejected, which he says further contributed to the IBFA split.
Instead, Ali says he was offered the opportunity to host a World Championships in France in 2027, but only if he cancelled his independently organised UK Universe.
“That’s where it stopped making sense to me,” he said. “If I’m trusted to host a world championship in another country, why can’t I host my own independent show at home? I also said I would still support their finals and bring the biggest team of all countries.”
Ali claims he later received a message from Temugin Filizola stating this was the final offer.
“He said, ‘Cancel the Universe and I can give you the World Championships in France in autumn 2027.’
“Why would I want a show in France in 2027? I don’t know anyone there. I can’t put a big show on. I told him I was already registered as independent – he knew that – and that I was going to run the Mr Universe as an independent show and still bring a team to them.
“My shows in the UK have no impact on theirs in Sapri or Rome. We bring them the most athletes. The Universe on July 12 in Cardiff will go ahead as an independent competition.”
Ali claims Filizola responded with an angry-face emoji.
After refusing to cancel the UK-based Universe, Ali says communication broke down. He claims he was blocked by international officials and later became aware of social media posts announcing Kenneth Brown as president of IBFA UK, the position Ali held.
Cease and desist notices followed, along with public confirmation that IBFA UK had been registered in October as the Independent Bodybuilding Fitness Association UK.
Shortly afterwards, the Italy-based federation launched IBFA GB, formally establishing a separate UK pathway.
Ali insists the split was not about walking away, but about being prevented from building what he believes the federation needed to survive.
“This wasn’t me going off and doing my own thing,” he said. “I was trying to raise standards, grow numbers and protect what we’d built in the UK.”
IBFA GB declined to respond to the claims outlined in this interview.
In correspondence with Frontdouble, a representative writing on behalf of IBFA GB said: “We offer absolutely zero response to the matter in question and will not respond to Matthew’s claims.”
Temugin Filizola of the Italy-based IBFA and IBFA GB secretary Kyle Vice were both contacted for comment. At the time of publication, no response had been received.
All allegations referenced in this article are attributed claims made by Matthew Ali during an interview with Frontdouble.com. No findings of wrongdoing are asserted as fact.
Anthony Chia-Bradley saves IBFA Liverpool 2025 after show nearly scrapped
The IBFA Liverpool show was set to be cancelled before photographer Anthony Chia-Bradley stepped in to save it and introduce a new format for 2025
By Gary Chappell
The IBFA Liverpool 2025 show has been saved after photographer Anthony Chia-Bradley stepped in at the last minute to prevent it being cancelled.
Anthony Chia-Bradley, whose stage photos have graced the bodybuilding scene for almost 20 years, has introduced some exceptional trophies for this season's incarnation.
And to top that there will be three overall winners – men, women and male Classic Physique. The latter overall winner will receive a trophy of the iconic pose from Masters bodybuilder James Room, captured from his now infamous posing routine (below).
"The trophies for the IBFA Liverpool are going to be really good," said Chia-Bradley during an exclusive interview with frontdouble.com. "We've got this warrior style trophy. One for the ladies and one for the men's. Mark Fox is doing all of those. The men's ones are more like Conan the Barbarian type. And the girls' ones are kind of like a Viking warrior princess.
"And one thing that's going to be different from the other IBFA shows is that we're having an overall Classic winner. We're going to have a Masters Classic, Short Classic and Tall Classic – then we're going to have the overall Classic. And we've got the James Room statue, which is going to be for the overall Classic. And James is going to present that himself."
Chia-Bradley has been capturing iconic images across the bodybuilding world since 2008 after a period producing digital artwork of competitors. He explained: "I did digital artwork of bodybuilders from taking a photograph, manipulating it on the computer and changing colours. I started producing them for gyms and stuff like that. Then I had an exhibition in London with the artwork and they hired four bodybuilders as part of the event.
"I took some photographs of them. I'd never really done any kind of photography before that. But people started to say, 'why don't you take my photos and then use that for the artwork rather than taking pictures off the internet and stuff like that'?. So that's what I started to do. And the guy who was the official photographer of the event called me and he said, 'I think you have a real eye for the physique and the way you capture it'. So that was really how it started."
If that can be considered a lucky break, then his expertise and talent behind the lens can be considered as the reason he was chosen to save the IBFA Liverpool.
He said: "When Matthew Ali took over the presidency of the IBFA, he said: 'I want you at all the shows. Then what happened was somebody let Matthew down with regard to the IBFA Liverpool, so then he was going to scrap the show.
"I have a really good relationship with Matthew and he said, 'people are asking about the Liverpool. Why don't you do it'? It'll be great. We'll call it the IBFA Liverpool ACB [Anthony Chia-Bradley] Classic'. And I was like, I don't know, I'm not sure I've got the money to kind of invest. And he went, 'I'll go half with you'."
Chia-Bradley continued: "I've brought in about 14 or 15 sponsors and I'm very grateful to them all. It's incredible that they've shown so much support. Some of it, some of it. Some of my friends I've known in the industry, Lee Kemp, from the UK Drug Free Bodybuilding. He's going to sponsor two of my classes and has been really supportive. And some of my other friends, like Debra Shelton, who's a PT. So I've been very fortunate.
The show will take place in the Grand Hall at the Florey in Liverpool and former promotor and Masters Over 60s competitors Alex Large has also been helping out. Chia-Bradley said: "Alex has been great. He's going to guest pose for me. Drew Walker [bodybuilder] going to open the show too.
"I'm hoping that it's going to be a really good family atmosphere. That we're going to bring a fun Liverpool feel to it. And hopefully have a lot of support from the Liverpoodlians themselves. Because I think they've all got a great sense of humour. I've got Ronnie Orr who is going to compare for me. He's quite a big name in Liverpool. He's fantastic on the stage. He knows exactly what he's doing. Which is great as, because I'll be doing the photos. We've got some really nice prizes and I'm going to give everybody a little key ring with the weights on. So everybody who comes and competes will get one of those." I don't think there's, there's not going to be prizes for every class. I just financially can't do it. "
Membership for the IBFA remains competitive at just £35 a year. Competing in one class will cost £30, with two classes coming in at £50. Registration closes on June 23, but they may be able to accommodate later entries. Chia-Bradley added: "There's so much more to promoting a show than I realised. And I'm only doing half of it because Matthew's still doing the registration. But I think the IBFA is in good hands with Matthew. He's really trying."
Jay Howlett: From anxiety to success at IBFA South East show
Jay Howlett admits anxiety nearly derailed preparations before the IBFA South East proved a success
By Gary Chappell
IN the weeks leading up to their first show as promoters the anxiety was flowing freely.
The panic manifested itself in daily phone calls to a colleague with an outpouring of negative vibes. The worrying was off the scale.
The reality, as it often is, was distinctly different. The first IBFA South East show was a roaring success and ran smoothly. It had some fantastic athletes and was put on with a friendly, jovial ambience that will be hard to match.
Enter Jay and Carly Howlett. Husband and wife, they decided to promote their first ever show, having been competitors and judges over the years.
DREAM TEAM: Carly and Jay Howlett
It was dubbed the Married to Muscle Classic, so called because of a forthcoming television documentary starring the bodybuilding couple.
Writing on social media, Jay Howlett, who suffers from mental health issues, summed up his emotions candidly: "Honestly, we were so nervous but also excited about creating a decent show for the athletes and the spectators. We've both competed, coached, judged and watched a ton of shows but never been promoters before.
"I suffer from a bunch of mental issues – acute anxiety disorder being one of the main ones – so the build up to this properly tested my sanity. I know 100 per cent that I've been a complete pain in the arse to so many people in the lead up to the event.
"Chris "Hulk" Williams [judge] was on the receiving end of daily phone call panic attacks with me saying, 'Hulk, there's gonna be no athletes and no audience'.
"He maintained a gritted-teeth-level of friendly reassurance, which I'm eternally grateful for. And Mrs H had to endure in-house pre-comp promoter insanity from Mr H.
"We're no promoter gurus, far from it. But we like to think we did OK for our first attempt. The feedback from athletes, staff, spectators etc has been overwhelming. Thank you to everyone that supported us because it's all of you that made it happen."
Frontdouble.com was in attendance for this competition at the Wyllotts Theatre in Potters Bar. Yes, you certainly "did OK" for your first attempt. More than OK. "Smashed it", as the kids might say.
Given the anxiety issues leading up to the show, the only shame was that there were not more IBFA officials in attendance, especially as most of the competitors based in the south have had to travel north since its inception in 2011.
MEN'S OVERALL WINNER: Lewis Marshall
From their special guest, Joe Egan – the toughest white man on the planet according to Mike Tyson, to 83-year-old competitor Michael Harendence. His posing routine based on ED209 from the film Robocop was a real inspiration.
And Egan's tales of how he used to be pummelled in the face by Tyson and Lennox Lewis, though was never put down, provided some fantastic insight. Egan went on to not only provide a few laughs but also expressed his respect for bodybuilders and what they endure during the depths of contest prep.
Then there was the photographer James Lineham. Patrolling the floor at the edge of the stage, Lineham captured perfectly the drama of each competitor's stage time. The deep blacks of the background, the smoke, the lighting. Just check out some of his stage pictures embedded in this article. These were made especially sharp with the expert tanning and attention of Kelley Szostak from Physique Spraytans.
As for anxiety, there was not a hint of that from Jay. He was top notch behind the microphone last Sunday [September 15]. At ease, complimentary to athletes and all delivered with a warm sense of humour.
So while competitors wonder whether they have got the final tweaks right, you can rest assured they are not the only ones worrying. Promotors too have their own kind of peak week. Or maybe call that, freak-out week.
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