JOE WEIDER
TRAINER OF CHAMPIONS
SPEAKS OUT ON
THE IFBB, FIHC AND NABBA MR. UNIVERSE EVENTS
WHEREVER I travel throughout the world, and from the thousands of letters we receive here yearly, many bodybuilders and amateur bodybuilding organizers as well as hundreds of competing bodybuilders keep asking me to explain the controversy raging between the FIHC, IFBB and NABBA concerning the MR. UNIVERSE events. They want to be straightened out as to what the situation is, and although I do my best to explain it to them in person, and also through the pages of this magazine, it seems that partial replies are not enough. Hence, this editorial is aimed at clearing up the matter once and for all.
First, the FIHC is the amateur weightlifting body which organizes all the World Championships. At times it also organizes an amateur MR. UNIVERSE event. For the past two years, through the cooperation of our organization in England - through Lud Shusterich and Oscar State, Secretary General of the FIHC - the organization has taken an aggressive policy and has intentions of running the amateur MR. UNIVERSE event yearly. The first was held in London; the second in Paris. We presume such amateur MR. UNIVERSE events will be held annually. . . that all amateur MR. UNIVERSE events will be held by the FIHC. All amateur athletes who refuse to lose their standings are advised to enter the FIHC MR. UNIVERSE event.
The NABBA organization runs an amateur and a professional MR. UNIVERSE event. Since the NABBA organization is not affiliated with the FIHC (the international amateur body), and does not have its sanction nor the British amateur organization's sanction to run such events in England, it stands to follow that any amateur athlete entering its amateur events will naturally be banned by other amateur organizations. Therefore, we advise all amateur athletes who wish to stay in the amateur ranks, not to enter these events unless they check with their local amateur bodies for a possible revision of the facts that I give here. We think that NABBA should remove the word "amateur" from its events. This would greatly clear the air for amateur athletes, and bodybuilders throughout the world would know exactly where they stand and will make decisions accordingly.
The IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilders) runs MR. AMERICA as well as MR. UNIVERSE events yearly, along with many others in Canada, the United States, Latin America and other parts of the world. Its aim is to promote bodybuilding and help develop the sport.
The IFBB never lists its events (including the MR. UNIVERSE) as amateur, and it has no intention of persuading amateur bodybuilders that IFBB events are sanctioned by any amateur body in any part of the world. We have mentioned time and time again that any amateur athlete who enters IFBB shows can be and at times has been barred from amateur events -- because the IFBB is not sanctioned by any amateur organization. If you're an amateur bodybuilder and enter an IFBB event, this can happen to you: your local amateur board may or may not suspend you, for any time they deem fitting. . . this can be from six months to a year to five years. After the suspension time is up, you may reapply for your amateur status. However, we suggest you check with your local board on its policy, as this varies considerably from locality to locality.
The IFBB recognizes the fact that bodybuilders train for one sport and one sport only. Bodybuilding is that sport - the building of as perfect a body as possible. Bodybuilders know that to become tops in the physique world, they have no energy or time left for other events. . . not enough left to become great, to participate and hope to win in them. They may participate to build agility. . . but basically, for entertainment or furthering their body development. They know that they can only serve one master at a time to become great, and that master is a perfect body. Therefore, the IFBB recognizes that bodybuilders are not interested in participating in amateur events, and that being an amateur is of no value to a bodybuilder. He will never enter swimming events, athletic events or weightlifting events. The bodybuilder knows he can never win them or rise to top honors and be great in bodybuilding. He has one purpose -- to be a champion in muscle building and win "Mr. Perfect" titles. So, being an amateur athlete is of no use to him. . . he will never enter amateur events. However, should he ever decide that he wants to change his career, give up muscle building and become a lifter, for example, he can do so by reapplying to the amateur body in his country.
Because of this, the IFBB does not involve itself in amateur or professional events. The IFBB events are strictly muscle building events, run for bodybuilders who want fair judging for their muscular perfection, in contrast with the AAU (in America, for example), which awards points for athletic ability and the like -- often causing a perfectly developed man to lose on the basis of weak characteristics other than his physique. At this time members of the AAU are discussing the facts, to change the title from MR. AMERICA (the amateur MR. AMERICA run in the United States) to MR. BEST DEVELOPED ATHLETE. We agree that this would be more in keeping with the method of judging used.
Since the bodybuilder is mainly interested in winning a perfect MR. UNIVERSE title and other such titles. . . and not in participating in other amateur events, and since the IFBB does not involve itself in other amateur events, it bills its shows as straight MR. UNIVERSE (or whatever the particular title may be for its various contests) - neither amateur nor professional. It has no intention of dividing the bodybuilders into ranks. To the IFBB a bodybuilder is a bodybuilder and with the IFBB he will get top judges to pick the very best man who has the very best body -- regardless of race, creed, or color.
To repeat: 1. FIHC MR. UNIVERSE events are strictly amateur. The FIHC recognizes amateur and professional bodybuilders. It is concerned only with amateurs.
2. NABBA runs MR. UNIVERSE events, both amateur and professional. Its amateur events are not amateur as no official amateur body sanctions them. If any amateur enters its amateur events he will be barred from further amateur contests, until reinstated by other amateur groups. Therefore, along with the FIHC, we think it would be good policy for NABBA to drop the word "amateur" from its MR. UNIVERSE events, and help keep things simplified for bodybuilders. Naturally, they can run professional MR. UNIVERSE.. events if listed as such, with no opposition from others.
3. IFBB events are neither amateur nor professional. It recognize's neither amateur nor professional bodybuilders, To the IFBB they are all alike, If an amateur bodybuilder enters its events, he can be and often is banned from other amateur events by amateur Organizations, until he asks for reinstatement. The IFBB does not bill its events as amateur. Therefore, if a bodybuilder is also a participating amateur athlete in other events and the possible suspension will hurt his career, the IFBB advises him not to enter its contests. It advises him to enter the FIHC MR. UNIVERSE CONTEST.
I hope this clears up the triangle problem, concerning the MR. UNIVERSE events.
MUSCLE BUILDER'S policy is to promote lifting and bodybuilding, and it makes no difference to us whether a muscle builder is amateur or professional . . . IFBB or AAU,. . . FIHC or NABBA. We will publish information on all bodybuilding events, amateur or professional. We will publicize all bodybuilders - because we consider every muscle builder an integral part of our game and we have the bodybuilder's interest at heart. We feature amateur lifting events and contests as well as IFBB and NABBA events. We play no favorites, and let it up to the contestants to pick the events they wish to enter. We hope the time will come in America that will see the AAU run the lifting events (as they are best organized and suited to do justice for lifting) in conjunction with IFBB physique contests. The combination expert handling in each case would make for greater headway in our sport. The AAU shows a great deal of talent in handling weightlifting, but is at a loss when it comes to bodybuilding; the IFBB is expert at physique contest showmanship, but lacks the basics when it comes to weightlifting. Such a combination would bring in more money - which would be used to help bodybuilders and weightlifters to travel for international events. More fans would be attracted, and all concerned would benefit greatly. We believe this day may not be too far off. In the meantime, we will work with every bodybuilder and organization for the advancement of our beloved sport.
JOE WEIDER
Trainer of Champions
PHOTO CAPTIONS
- Left: Joe Weider congratulates Reg Lewis (left) on his IFBB MR. AMERICA win, and Harold Poole on his IFBB MR. UNIVERSE win. The year was 1963. Right: AAU JR. MR. AMERICA winner John Decola. Joe Weider's interesting editorial explains the key differences among the various physique organizations . . . clearing up much of the "fog" that surrounds this issue. If you're in doubt. . . read on!