Mr. Olympia and the controversies of bodybuilding
In bodybuilding, Mr. Olympia is more than one contest; it is the stage where physique, ego and judges’ decisions collide especially painfully. Here are five cases that made bodybuilding history loud and left fans arguing for decades.
Why the Mr. Olympia disputes still resonate
On the surface, bodybuilding is a simple sport: you step on stage, show your physique and the judges set the placings. In reality, it is far messier. Mass, conditioning, symmetry, posing, reputation, timing and sometimes even politics all count. That is exactly why old arguments don’t fade easily.
This article continues a series that looks at the fifteen biggest controversies in bodybuilding history. Part III covers places 5 to 1. These stories are not comfortable ones. They involve the pain of defeat, racism, death, a murder case and two of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most disputed moments.
Mr. Olympia, Arnold and Sergio Oliva in 1972
5 SCHWARZENEGGER WINS THE 1972 MR. OLYMPIA OVER OLIVA.
After Sergio Oliva beat Schwarzenegger in 1969, Oliva lost to Arnold twice the very next year: the Mr. World (Mr. World) and Olympia titles. By 1971, Oliva had withdrawn from IFBB events and was keeping a lower profile. But by 1972 Oliva was back, reportedly in the best shape of Oliva’s life.
It was the fourth and last major duel between Oliva and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger came out the winner, but fans argued then, and still argue now, about whether the decision was fair. What really counted: conditioning and mass, or politics and skin color?
Oliva claimed that the 1972 title had been stolen. Oliva challenged Schwarzenegger in the posedown round of the 1973 Mr. International and again on the TV show The Tomorrow Show, in a weightlifting contest. The future California governor turned down these challenges. Even so, the 1972 duel between the Myth and the Oak remains one of the hottest topics in bodybuilding history.
Bodybuilding history and the Mr. America title
4 RACISM TARNISHES THE MR. AMERICA TITLE.
The AAU began running the Mr. America contest in 1938. Until 1970 and Chris Dickerson, the title always went to a bodybuilder of a certain skin color. In the first 32 years of the contest, Black athletes in excellent shape, such as George Paine, Melvin Wells, Art Harris, Elmo Santiago and others, were essentially pushed aside.
Sergio Oliva’s case is especially painful. Despite clear superiority and a powerful physique, Oliva was denied the title three times. This happened even in 1963, when Oliva joined the IFBB and won the Mr. World title. As far as is known, Oliva also did not win the 1963 AAU Mr. Chicago title because Oliva did not yet speak English.
Joe and Ben Weider and the IFBB played an important role in breaking down the race barriers in bodybuilding. As early as the fifties, they were promoting Black bodybuilders such as Leroy Colbert and Harold Poole. Poole also won the 1964 IFBB Mr. America title. That same year, Oliva competed in the AAU Mr. America contest and placed only 7th.
Tragic stories behind the stage
3 – SALLY McNEIL IS ACCUSED OF MURDERING RAY McNEIL.
Ray McNeil was a professional bodybuilder; Ray’s wife Sally competed at the amateur level. On Valentine’s Day 1995, four days before Ray’s South Beach Pro Invitational, Sally shot Ray in the stomach and face with a pump-action shotgun at their home in Southern California.
Sally claimed to have been a victim of domestic violence. The police reports, however, confirmed that Sally had previously been the instigator of several violent episodes. On March 19, 1996, Sally was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 19 years in prison, a sentence that is still being served.
2 – MOHAMED BENAZIZA DIES.
After winning the 1992 Dutch Grand Prix, Mohamed Benaziza collapsed backstage. It was Benaziza’s eighth pro win in three years. Seven hours later, on October 4, 1992, Benaziza died of a heart attack at the age of 33.
The diuretic Momo, which Benaziza was using, drained the body of fluid, potassium and magnesium to such an extent that the heart could no longer beat. Benaziza is one of the most tragic examples of what diuretics have caused in bodybuilding. Mike Matarazzo, Paul Dillett, Flex Wheeler, Tom Prince and many others have also ended up in hospital because of extreme dehydration.
Mr. Olympia 1980 and the endless debate
1 – ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER RETURNS AND WINS THE 1980 BODYBUILDING CONTROVERSY.
Naturally, the 1980 Mr. Olympia is still one of the most debated contests. Arnold Schwarzenegger returned as a surprise entrant after a five-year break. Arnold was smaller than in the early seventies, but clearly more conditioned. Arnold won the seventh Olympia title.
At the athletes’ meeting before the show, a fierce verbal clash broke out between Schwarzenegger and Mike Mentzer. It came close to turning into a physical brawl. Mentzer, who was 28 at the time, was in great form and on the way to the peak of his success, but finished in a baffling fifth place. Mentzer never competed again.
Fans still argue over whether that contest was fixed in favor of the most famous professional bodybuilder in the sport’s history. Some say that, judging by condition and appearance, Mike Mentzer, Chris Dickerson or Frank Zane should have won instead of Arnold. Others feel Arnold wasn’t at his best but still deserved the win.
FAQ: Mr. Olympia and the old arguments
Why was the 1972 showdown so important?
Because Sergio Oliva and Arnold Schwarzenegger symbolized different eras. Their face-off made fans ask whether the stage rewarded only the physique, or also the athlete’s name and influence.
Was the 1980 Mr. Olympia decision wrong?
There’s no consensus on that. Some fans see Arnold’s win as political, while others still view him as a deserving winner. That is exactly what makes the contest so famous.
What do these stories teach today’s bodybuilders?
A simple truth: conditioning matters, but the history of the sport isn’t made of muscle alone. It also includes judges, health risks, reputation, pressure and human error.
15 biggest controversies and shocking moments in bodybuilding history Flex, Feb, 2006 by Greg Merritt
Translated by Janar Rückenberg
Source:Turg.Fitness.ee
Come and train! ArtGym
