“Inside Edition” report sheds bad light on the NPC and Pro League

February 23, 2023

“Inside Edition” report sheds bad light on the NPC and Pro League.

Claims of alleged sexual exploitation against Jim Manion’s NPC and Pro League have resurfaced, after a recent feature on the popular show “Inside Edition.”

For most of 2022, the Washington Post published various articles exposing the NPC and Pro League, focusing on alleged sexual exploitation, bodybuilders health, rigged events, and financial issues.

The articles published by the Washington Post shocked the bodybuilding and fitness world, but at the same time, NPC and Pro League President, Jim Manion, denied all allegations.

Since December 2022, the Washington Post have been quiet, and have not published any new articles related to their investigations.

Sources close to Evolutionofbodybuilding.net, have confirmed that the Washington Post is still investigating the NPC, Pro League and Jim Manion himself.

The majority of top officials within the NPC and Pro League, would like to believe the Washington Post investigation has been forgotten, but this could not be further from the truth.

Following the Washington Post investigations, Lisa Bloom, the powerful attorney is working with a number of women who came forward to share their experiences with officials within the NPC and IFBB Professional League.

Popular TV show “Inside Edition” exposes the NPC and Pro League

The popular TV show “Inside Edition“, have just recently published a investigative feature, focusing on alleged sexual exploitation against the NPC and Pro League.

This feature will definitely worry many within the NPC and Pro League. The “Inside Edition” has a very large following on their social media networks.

In total, the “Inside Edition” has over 15.4 million followers, when combining their YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter subscribers and followers.

According to the “Paramount Press Express”, the “Inside Edition” reaches a weekly audience of approximately 9.9 million viewers, while its digital news network delivers approximately 370 million video views per month.

The recent show features interviews with former female NPC and Pro League athletes. The “Inside Edition” also interviewed former NPC and Pro League judge, Jim Rockell.

When asked if he every witnessed any votes being changed in favor of J.M. Manion’s athletes, Jim Rockel did not hesitate to say yes.

“Definitely, the President Jim Manion, would often times come down the aisle, and point up to the person that is on the stage, and give a nod or whatever, obviously that competitor was on of his son’s (J.M. Manion) clients,” concluded Rockell.

The female athletes interviewed also alleged that if they ever said anything against the NPC, Pro League or the Manion’s, they would be punished.

The alleged punishments vary from not being placed fairly at a competition, or even being black listed.

J.M. Manion declined to be interviewed by the “Inside Edition”, and in a statement said he is shocked by the allegations and denies any wrong doing.

Prominent promoters leave the NPC and Pro League

At the time of publishing this article, three promoters have left the NPC for the rival IFBB Physique America, led by Wayne DeMilia.

The first promoter to leave was Brent Jones. Jones owns the Kentucky Muscle brand. Brent promoted the two biggest NPC contests in Kentucky and was one of Manion’s best promoters. The next powerhouse to leave the NPC and Pro League was Rich Siegelman.

Siegelman, who owns Kutz Promotions, is a former NPC Chairman of Maryland and ran three highly successful contests in Maryland for the NPC. The third promoter to leave was Tim Estell, one of the youngest promoters in the federation. All three men left the NPC and have become Chairmen of Kentucky, Maryland, and Virginia, respectively, for the IFBB Physique America. They will have contests in 2023.

It is expected that more promoters will follow, joining IFBB Physique America.

To make matters worse, sources close to Evolutionofbodybuilding.net, have claimed that the Ohio Attorney General’s office is also investigating the NPC and Pro League. While Jim Manion is based in Pittsburgh, the NPC and Pro League have close ties to the state of Ohio.

The NPC and Pro League have no ties with the IFBB

At the end of the “Inside Edition” feature, the “Inside Edition” said that a “spokesperson for the NPC and IFBB, deny all allegations.”

The “Inside Edition”, were incorrect in their statement, and should have said a “spokesperson for the NPC and IFBB Pro League, deny all allegations.”

The IFBB is NOT the governing body of the NPC or Pro League.

The IFBB have no affiliation to Jim Manion, the NPC or Pro League.

The IFBB is the original amateur federation, created by the late Joe and Ben Weider in 1946. In 2006, due to his decline in health, Ben Weider stepped down as President of the IFBB, and recommended Dr. Rafael Santonja to replace him. Ben worked with Dr. Santonja for over 35, and he believed he was the perfect person to take the federation forward.

Dr. Rafael Santonja was voted unanimously as IFBB President in 2006, and still holds this position in 2023, pushing the sport forward.

Jim Manion was given the role as President of the IFBB Pro League, which was the pro division of the IFBB. IFBB amateur athletes who qualified as professionals, would move up to the pro league.

Manion, who was also president of the NPC, formerly, the American affiliate to the IFBB, had to work with Dr. Santonja, in regards to the amateur competitors.

Allegedly, there was always a power struggle, with Jim Manion wanting full control of the amateur division as well, but this was never possible, until he left the IFBB in 2017.

In 2017, the IFBB and NPC went their separate ways, meaning Jim Manion and IFBB President Dr. Rafael Santonja would cease to work together any longer.

Jim Manion would retain the Pro League and NPC, while Dr. Rafael Santonja, would continue to govern the IFBB worldwide and create the IFBB Elite Pro League, giving the opportunity to IFBB amateur athletes to compete as professionals.

Manion went on to create NPC Worldwide in 2017, trying to expand his events internationally. While he has had some success, the NPC Worldwide is still nowhere near as popular as the IFBB.

The IFBB continue to dominate amateur events worldwide, with over 4000 competitions organized every year across 203 affiliated nations, this makes it one of the largest and most active international sport federations in the world.