World Games suspends bodybuilding

**tiramisu** · 05-07-2010, 08:06 PM

Yet another kick in the ass...

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/top/news?...odybuildingban

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—Bodybuilding has been suspended from the World Games after a rash of doping violations.
The decision Wednesday comes after four bodybuilders tested positive for banned substances last year at the World Games, which features more than 30 non-Olympic sports including surfing, orienteering and squash.

World Games organizers say 17 of their total 25 doping cases since 1989 involve bodybuilding.
The World Games are staged the year after the summer Olympics. The next site is Cali, Colombia, in 2013.
Sports federations and officials from around the world are meeting in Dubai this week.

**Triple-H_2005** · 05-07-2010, 09:52 PM

That sound you hear is the collective Total Lack of Surprise of the board.

And Apathy. Yeah...there's plenty of that, too.

**John Hansen** · 05-07-2010, 10:07 PM

The sad fact is that bodybuilding will continue to lose credibility as a legitimate sport until it starts aggressively drug testing. Unfortunately, the powers that be and, apparently, the fans, do not want that so the sport will never grow and will always be a cult, freak show sport. It's chances of ever getting into the Olympics (the late Ben Weider's lifelong dream) are slim to none.

**tiramisu** · 05-07-2010, 10:47 PM

What makes it sad is that in the middle east and asia pacific bodybuilding has been treated as a real sport and athletes have been given the respect and support that other world class athletes get.

While there's not much hope for north america in the near future it will be a real shame to watch the real sport die in the remainder of the world.

**chris mason** · 05-07-2010, 11:18 PM

John... COME ON!

Lol at Ben Weider's dream. If he REALLY wanted it I am guessing he may have had enough clout to get something done. No, it looks to me like he and his bro chose the dollar over their dream...

As to bodybuilding causing all of those doping violations, all that says to me is the bodybuilders in those cases were less sophisticated than their track and field and so on counterparts. Doping is HIGHLY prevalent in most of the big Olympic sports.

**Triple-H_2005** · 05-07-2010, 11:53 PM

Honest to God, John...

If the only hurdle to the general public embracing bodybuilding were the drug issue, "natural" shows, consisting largely of regular sized people in better than average condition would be selling out left and right.

As cm just said...LOL @ Ben's dream.

All elite level sports are drug-driven.

The general public doesn't like bodybuilding because it isn't something with which they can even remotely identify.

Oh...and the other reason it will never make it to the Olympics...IT ISN'T A "SPORT"! What we do is a beauty pageant with muscles.

**John Hansen** · 05-08-2010, 12:31 AM

I agree that Ben's dream of getting bodybuilding into the Olympics was a joke if he didn't aggressively drug test. I was talking to Lee Labrada years ago and it was his opinion that the IFBB dropped the ball years ago (1990) when they decided not to continue with the drug testing. He said that the sport would eventually lose legitimacy and it would not be able to potentially attract big sponsors. I DO think of bodybuilding as a sport. I remember when I first started training and the Mr. Olympia and Mr. Universe were featured on Wide World of Sports. The competitors were treated as athletes on the show and it had a certain respectability that I don't see in the media anymore. When I used to go see the Olympia in Columbus when Arnold and Jim Lorimer were promoting it, the local news would cover it too. None of that stuff happens anymore because the media is aware of steroids now and professional bodybuilding refuses to test the competitors. I understand that it's a money issue and if they start testing, they will lose their core audience and some other new organization will probably start up and NOT test anyone (as Vince McMahon did with the WBF after the IFBB drug-tested the 1990 Olympia). However, bodybuilding did lose it's respect with the media and the general public by not testing. Just my opinion.

**Triple-H_2005** · 05-08-2010, 12:47 AM

Again, I have to ask...

If "drugs" alone are the issue, why aren't natural shows selling out left and right?

The fact is, bodybuilding is boring as hell to watch. Unless you're a competitor, lifter or relative of a competitor, the odds of shelling out money to watch it are slim to none.

Bodybuilding enjoyed some mainstream popularity in the 70s and 80s because it was still a novelty to most people. The "new car smell" has worn off and regular people just don't give a crap any more.

**data** · 05-08-2010, 02:00 AM

I would rather see non-tested olympics ... I want to watch a juiced up sprinter out run a horse.

**D_T** · 05-08-2010, 02:32 AM

Originally Posted by Triple-H_2005

Again, I have to ask...

If "drugs" alone are the issue, why aren't natural shows selling out left and right?

The fact is, bodybuilding is boring as hell to watch. Unless you're a competitor, lifter or relative of a competitor, the odds of shelling out money to watch it are slim to none.

Bodybuilding enjoyed some mainstream popularity in the 70s and 80s because it was still a novelty to most people. The "new car smell" has worn off and regular people just don't give a crap any more.

It was because competitors reached the point NOone believed they could be drug free. That wasn't the case in the 80's.

**JAM** · 05-08-2010, 02:35 AM

Originally Posted by tiramisu

Yet another kick in the ass...

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/top/news?...odybuildingban

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—Bodybuilding has been suspended from the World Games after a rash of doping violations.
The decision Wednesday comes after four bodybuilders tested positive for banned substances last year at the World Games, which features more than 30 non-Olympic sports including surfing, orienteering and squash.

World Games organizers say 17 of their total 25 doping cases since 1989 involve bodybuilding.
The World Games are staged the year after the summer Olympics. The next site is Cali, Colombia, in 2013.
Sports federations and officials from around the world are meeting in Dubai this week.

Is this a surprise. I'm gonna to go out on a limb and say the other cases involved powerlifting athletes...although I'd keep a close eye on those billiards and Ultimate Frisbee players.

**MikeS** · 05-08-2010, 03:58 AM

Originally Posted by chris mason

Doping is HIGHLY prevalent in most of the big Olympic sports.

Truth. Anyone who has read Dwain Chambers book will realize drugs are more prevelant than anyone will admit.

**MikeS** · 05-08-2010, 04:02 AM

Originally Posted by Triple-H_2005

IT ISN'T A "SPORT"! What we do is a beauty pageant with muscles.

If you look up the definition of sport, one of them is physical activity which is governed by rules and skill. I think bodybuilding fits here. But what do I know, we live in a society where poker and darts are considered 'sports' with millions of dollars/pounds/euros in prize money. . .

**hifrommike65** · 05-08-2010, 08:01 AM

I googled the term "bodybuilder" to see what I would get on page one that might explain the public misperception of the enterprise (I'm sidestepping its status as a sport or not). On that page I got a link to a YouTube video with the caption, "Roid monkeys bodybuilder freak show." That should tell you what at least part of the problem is.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMI9_Mj6_84"]YouTube- Roid monkeys bodybuilder freak show[/nomedia]

**Triple-H_2005** · 05-08-2010, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by MikeS

If you look up the definition of sport, one of them is physical activity which is governed by rules and skill. I think bodybuilding fits here. But what do I know, we live in a society where poker and darts are considered 'sports' with millions of dollars/pounds/euros in prize money. . .

The TRAINING fits, what we do on the stage in contest day does not.