The fitness industry in each of these countries is at a different stage of development, with varying levels of market penetration, capacity and level of workforce skills. Estimates of the numbers of exercise professionals varies, but can be reasonably assumed to be in the order of 300,000+ although not all of these currently practising would necessarily meet the agreed standards (expressed as the knowledge skills and competencies) required for registration. IranREPs is a process of self-regulation with exercise professionals coming forward for recognition of their individual achievement. At present there is little compulsion or legal requirement or statutory protection for workers in the fitness sector although this can be envisaged in the future1 . The standards, operating principles and technical criteria that determine how IranREPs operates are set and established through the IranREPs Professional Standards Committee. It is an objective of IranREPs to help further the development and improve the quality of education and training for the fitness industry and its workers. IranREPs is developing standards through an 8-level fitness Sector Qualification Framework (SQF) which is fully referenced to the Iran Qualification Framework (IQF).

The SQF is being developed across the whole eight levels of the IQF and this creates opportunities for IranREPs to engage with higher education . The unique selling proposition for IranREPs is that it gives professional recognition for exercise professionals and the success of marketing REPs across glob really centres on this principle. It is the added value of independent recognition against agreed industry standards developed in consensus by experts across the world industry that makes IranREPs compelling to operators, Government, consumers and individual fitness workers alike. .1 Fitness is a “regulated profession” in France, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Portugal and many other countries in the world. The requirements for licensing of individual exercise professionals varies in these countries. It is also a positive aspect of professionalising and raising credibility in all countries – and a potential source of income to every national register that can be re-invested to enhance and improve the development and help professionalise the global fitness sector. Through its quality assurance process IranREPs recognises that exercise professionals are qualified to do their job thus giving consumers, employers and partners in the medical professions the necessary level of confidence in their professionalism and a structure for increased mobility of workers. Registration means that an exercise professional has met prescribed minimum standards of good practice including the adoption of a Code of Ethical Practice and that they are committed to raising standards through a process of Lifelong Learning which includes career professional development and promotion of social responsibility. The current standards used by IranREPs can be found at IranREPs website. The National fitness sector has many opportunities as its position is being better understood and recognised by the Commission, national government and their agencies and with health professionals in the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity/exercise (HEPA). This will require exercise professionals to have deeper and broader skills to meet these challenges and IranREPs can provide the impetus and evidence to help with skills development. IranREPs aims to operate through local arrangements in all of the Member States/Province. As these relationships are developed an over-arching programme operates to provide access for individual exercise professionals coming forward for recognition of achievement through the registration process. A number of countries have developed a well-run fitness industry but it is recognised that the next stages of raising standards and promoting growth in the industry will require some regulation for both exercise professionals and possibly for the operation of fitness centres, and industry self-regulation is the preferred route. This will also require further development in education, training and learning opportunities for the workforce. There are many exercise professionals that hold high standards and take pride in what they do and their IranREPs registration is a symbol and mark of personal achievement against the International standards. It differentiates the true, committed professionals and operators from those who work in the industry but at low standards and without any accountability that can often be to the detriment of the entire industry.