I.F.B.B. News

YES friends! The 'Huffmen' are at it again. Our envious friends are ridiculing, criticising, slandering, and attacking. We have bent over backwards taking dirt from them. They slapped one cheek and we turned the other only to be slapped again. Now they are punching below the belt and we still refuse to lower ourselves to their level. Not long ago one of our feature writers, a highly esteemed and world-renowned author, was the object of an abusive attack by the 'Huffmen'. He answered like a gentleman and like a sportsman, asking for a halt to the vicious mud-slinging. He appealed to the goodness of our attackers, to their sense of decency and fair-play, to their interest in the welfare of the bodybuilders and the advancement of the game as a whole. He asked that all editors of strength magazines devote their valuable space to constructive articles and helpful information rather than to the airing of petty envies and jealousies. One would have thought that a decent straight-forward, sportsman-like appeal such as this would have put an end to the dirt-throwing once and for all. But such has not been the case and instead the 'Huffmen' replied with a vicious attack on the rapidly spreading International Federation of Body Builders.

We would like to treat this latest attack with the contempt that it deserves and ignore it completely but should we do so, many of our younger readers who are not familiar with the 'Huffmanian' tactics might construe this to be an acceptance of the charges. We will answer them with plain honest facts which every intelligent reader will immediately understand. However, we refuse absolutely to be drawn into the smear campaign of the 'Huffmen' and will not stoop to their unsportsmanlike tactics.

It is claimed that the International Federation of Body Builders is trying to divide the International Weightlifting Federation and undermine the Amateur Athletic Union. This is a ridiculous and stupid statement as any one with half a brain could immediately see. The International Federation of Body Builders, as the very name implies, is an organization of Body Builders and interested solely in promoting bodybuilding. It has nothing to do with competitive weightlifting. It has never run any weightlifting meets and it has never interferred in any way with the sport of weightlifting or the national or international weightlifting bodies.

The International Federation of Body Builders is an entirely new body for an entirely new sport which has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years. It is the first and only international organization for bodybuilders that has ever existed. Why all the excitement because we have seen fit to organize a new body for a new sport. Not many years ago there was no such sport as basketball. When the game grew in popularity, national and international basketball federations were formed. Those persons who already belonged to Football Federations did not throw a fit when basketball grew big enough to form its own federation Then why under the sun should those in charge of weightlifting become so upset because a group of leaders with vision and courage undertook the hurculean task of organizing an international federation for the much neglected bodybuilders. The International Federation of Body Builders has no quarrel with the Amateur Athletic Union and no quarrel with the various weightlifting Federations. It recognizes the fact that these bodies are doing a good job for the weightlifters. The Weider publications are constantly giving support to the weightlifting bodies and to the weightlifters themselves by announcing competitions, by giving publicity to the lifters, by publishing results of competitions, by writing interesting stories about lifting clubs, by attracting new men to the lifting game and by giving expert training instruction. Every year thousands upon thousands of young men are started upon the glorious road to health and strength through the efforts of the I.F.B.B. and the Weider Publications. Every new bodybuilder is a potential weightlifter. Each develops the strength and stamina and basic groundwork so necessary for competitive lifting. The Weider Publications which outsell all other similar publications the world over have done more to attract young men to the weight training game than any others. It is only since the Weider Publications came on the market that Bodybuilding and Weightlifting skyrocketed to their present tremendous heights of popularity. Before this time, when only one magazine dominated the American scene, there were few lifters of note in North America. You could count the bodybuilding studios on your fingers and there were relatively few bodybuilders as such. Today there are thousands of bodybuilding gyms, literally hundreds of thousands of bodybuilders and our lifters are beginning to make a name for themselves in international competition. It is no mere accident that this stupendous development came about after the Weider Publications came into being and not before.

The 'Huffmen' make much over the fact that Joseph Weider is responsible for the organization of the I.F.B.B. but it should be remembered that this is an international organization with thousands of members and that Mr. Weider holds only one vote on the executive council.

More dust is churned up over the fact that 'big profits' are made out of physique contests. The 'Huffmen' certainly ought to know as they have been closely associated with the promotion of more than one of these shows. Mr. Weider is accused of pocketing these profits for his personal use. This is indeed a laugh and also a double edged sword which neatly lops off the heads of those who are wielding it. At the decent I.F.B.B. sponsored Mr. Canada contest held in Montreal, 17 beautiful and valuable trophies were given out to the winners of the various events. In addition the two top winners received cash awards and the Best Physique winner received a two-weeks all expense trip from Montreal to Florida not only for himself but for his wife and daughter. And this is not all.

Special attractions were brought in from near and far for the entertainment of the audience and out of town competitors received financial aid to help cover their transportation and living expenses. All proceeds from I.F.B.B. shows go towards the promotion of bigger and better shows and back to the competing bodybuilders themselves.

NOW FOR THE SIXTY -FOUR DOLLAR QUESTION. If I.F.B.B. Physique Shows bring in 'big profits' it is just as reasonable to conclude that the 'Huffmen' shows also bring in big profits. WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE PROFITS? There are trophies but nothing like those given by the I.F,B.B. and not anywhere as numerous. There are no cash prizes. There are no free vacation trips or similar awards. And very few competitors ever see any expense money.

Our readers are intelligent persons and we don't have to tell them that two and two equals four, but even a man with half a brain and only one nostril can see that something smells. Far from making money out of the I.F.B.B. shows we have shown a steadily increasing loss. This had been made up through the personal contributions of none other than Joseph Weider himself who has provided free space in his magazines, free secretarial service and cash contributions which now total more than $5,000. Building up any international organization from scratch, takes plenty of time, effort and money, and the I.F.B.B. is no exception. It is our hope to make it a self-supporting organization in due time but at no time will the wide-spread executive committee allow any individual or group of individuals use the organization for personal gain. All profits made on the shows go back to the bodybuilders themselves in the form of expenses, prizes and awards, or through the promotion of greater shows, and this policy will be rigidly adhered to.

If the 'Huffmen' are really interested in promoting bodybuilding and spreading the gospel of health and physical fitness to the youth of the nation we recommend that they join the I.F.B.B. and see for themselves just what valuable work this organization is doing. Instead of knocking something they know little or nothing about they should be putting their shoulder to the wheel of progress in the field of strength and health. More cooperation and less criticism should be their motto.

The 'Huffmen' let off sizzling steam over the fact that any person who participates in an I.F .B.B. contest automatically loses his amateur status. What a complete farce this has turned out to be. Our women participate in physique contests and receive thousands of dollars in prizes and no one bars them from amateur competition. If our men do exactly the same thing for less valuable prizes, a hue and cry is raised. How does one account for this? During the Olympic winter games the U.S.A. sent over two ice hockey teams both claiming to be amateur when it was a well known fact that at least one team received pay for their playing. The Canadian hockey team first invited to participate in the Olympic Games by the International Hockey Federation did not even pretend to be an amateur team and yet it was officially recognized.

One weightlifter from a country which we refrain from mentioning, boasted openly that he had received broken-time payments to look after his family while he was at the games, though this is contrary to the Olympic rules. A whole club of lifters from one country wore advertising material on their jerseys and their jackets right at the Olympic Games and nothing was done about this. We have no fault to find with amateurism but we are strongly opposed to the hypocrisy of sham-amateurism. Let us at least be honest with ourselves. If rules are absolutely essential then let us live up to the rules. If it is impossible to live up to the rules then let us change them.

We would prefer our bodybuilders to remain amateurs for the competitive sports just the same as the women do regardless of whether or not they receive cash awards for physique contests. After all, bodybuilding is not a competitive sport in the same sense that boxing or running or even lifting, is a competitive sport. Our object is to raise healthy men and women and if a prize of 100 dollars or 1000 dollars will encourage more men and women to build strong and healthy bodies why should anyone raise objection to the use of such incentives.

From this standpoint there is nothing wrong or evil about the out-and-out professional sports themselves. They provide healthy exercise and a good living for countless thousands and wholesome entertainment for millions more. The 'Huffmen' state that any man who participates in an I.F.B.B. show and thus loses his amateur status turns his back on his friends and associates, repudiates his nation and virtually becomes a man without a country. What a lot of unadulterated dribble. What about the thousands upon thousands of professional boxers, wrestlers, tennis players, golfers, baseball players, basketball players, and so on ad infinitum. Have these men and women repudiated their country and turned their backs on friends and associates?

The 'Huffmen' rant on about amateurs winning glory for their country and imply that becoming a professional is nothing short of treason. Sure the amateurs bring glory to their country, but so do the professionals. What about the immortal Babe Ruth? What about Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Babe Didrickson, Jack M. Kramer, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Johnny Weissmuller, Syl Apps, King Clancy, Frankie Brimsek and thousands of other famous professional athletes?

So much for the puerile and puny attacks of the envious 'Huffmen'. They are not worthy of the valuable space we have devoted to them, but perhaps this straight forward, honest reply to their pitiful accusations will bring an end to their constant campaign of criticism.

Our attackers even try to drag in membership fees and twist things to suit their own purpose. Thus a comparison is made between the A.A.U. fee of .25 cents and the I.F.B.B. fee of $3.00 as though the two could possibly be compared. The A.A.U. card is simply a card which identifies you as an amateur, eligible for amateur competition. It gives you no other benefits or privileges. One might just as well compare the cost of a bag of peanuts with a bag of potatoes. The fact that one costs 5 cents and the other costs $2.50 has no bearing on the matter. It is what you get for your money that counts. The three dollars you pay for your I.F.B.B. membership entitles you to a host of special privileges which can be worth ten or twenty times as much. Thus every member of the I.F.B.B. saves the 1.00 entry for physique contests; saves 50 cents for registration of records; gets a 10% reduction on various pieces of apparatus, books. and courses; a 10% reduction on tickets for all physique contests; is eligible for round trip travelling expenses to physique and strength contests, and so on. Space alone prevents us from listing all of the special privileges which membership in the .F.B.B. enttiles you to, but the $3.OO you spend can easily save you 50 to 100 dollars per year.

For example, if you purchase a $30.00 set of Weider Weights at a 10% reduction you already have your three dollars back and can still enjoy all of the other privileges and savings. This being the case how can Weider line his own pockets with profits from I.F.B.B. membership fees? Weider could make far more money out of the sale of his products if he gave no reductions or special privileges.

With so many selfish, grasping persons associated with weightlifting and bodybuilding it is hard to believe that there are people like Joseph Weider who are willing to do things for bodybuilders not only for nothing but actually at extra expense to himself. And it is particularly hard for the selfish to understand or believe in the un selfishness of others.

If you are sick and tired of mud-slinging and petty back-stabbing which the 'Huffmen' are continually instigating you can register your protest and help to deal it a death blow by joining the I.F.B.B. Here is an organization designed to be of special service to you. Our attackers are opposed to the I.F.B.B. because it is cutting down the profits made on the sale of weightlifting and bodybuilding equipment, because it is reducing the price of books and courses and because it cuts down the profit made on Physique Shows. They have tried their utmost to paint us black but in so doing have shown their own true colors.

If you are an honest, intelligent young man who wants to get ahead and wants to help others to reach physical perfection, we invite you to join us today. Do it for your own personal good and for the good of others. Join a mighty organization of bodybuilders which is sweeping the world and fighting for the rights of bodybuilders everywhere. Become one of the ever-increasing mass of strong, determined bodybuilders who are fighting against domination and deceit, envy and jealousy, mud throwing and back stabbing and everything else that is harming the great game of bodybuilding. Join the great crusade for fair play and sportsmanship, for clean living and wholesome thinking, for strength of character and strength of body. Help us to help you and thousands upon thousands of others like you to live a healthier, happier and more useful life. JOIN THE I.F.B.B. TODAY AND DO YOUR PART TO MAKE BODY BUILDING THE KING OF ALL SPORTS.

PHOTO CAPTIONS

- Pictured here is Alan Paivio, winner of the 11948 Mr. Canada Contest, Joseph Weider, Editor in Chief of Your Physique Magazine, and Leo Robert, winner of the 1948 Most Muscular Man in Canada. Alan Paivio won the beautiful trophy shown in the photo and in addition received a two weeks vacation for himself and his family in Florida. The I.F.B.B. through its President, Mr. Joseph Weider, also saw to it that he got a cash award to assist him with his college education. Leo Robert received a similar trophy and awards. All proceeds from physique contests promoted by the International Federation of Body Builders are used for the promotion of bigger and better shows and to give worthwhile awards. In the recent Contest no less than 17 superb trophies were given away. What other organization promoting physique contests has ever done so much for the competing bodybuilders? The I.F.B.B. has been accused by jealous opponents of 'making money' for the promoters of its physique contest. This criticism has come from men who run contests and contribute little or nothing to the travelling expenses of competitors and who give only a few paltry trophies out to the winners. They do not give cash awards, massive trophies and free holiday trips. What happens to the money THEY make out of THEIR shows?

- Two fo the 4 champions that will represent Canda at the coming "Mr. AMerica" contest. Above, a muscular shot of Leo Robert, the Canadian muscular man, and below an informal pose of Allan Paivio with his lovely wife and beautiful baby daughter just after winning "Mr. Canada" title. (All photos by Lanza)