Jim Lorimer, bodybuilding promoter and co-founder of the Arnold Sports Festival and the Arnold Classic, warned professional male bodybuilders competing in the bodybuilding competition in a private athlete’s meeting last Thursday night about reporters asking questions about “enhancement.” This was interpreted by those in attendance as a reference to anabolic steroids and other performance enhancement drugs although Lorimer never mentioned steroids directly. Lorimer offered guidance for bodybuilders who were approached by reporters:
Don’t focus on anything but the fantastic effort these athletes make which is… beyond athletes in every other sport as far as physical commitment and discipline and hard work and that’s the story I think we got to… Again, we got to make sure we tell that good part of the story; we got to tell the best of our story, ok?
Jim Lorimer told the athletes that every one of the over 30 sports federations competing in the Arnold Sports Festival has a testing protocol including the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB). Lorimer discusses the existing “amateur” protocol in the IFBB but also announced that in January 2008 the IFBB has implemented a testing protocol in the IFBB Professional League to “protect integrity and future of the sport.” The testing was implemented in response to other professional sports being “killed by the publicity” surrounding doping. Details of the IFBB’s new testing protocol were not revealed only that “there will be some testing throughout the coming year.”
Jim Lorimer explained the vulnerability of bodybuilding during the Arnold Sports Festival Weekend.
We’re especially vulnerable on our weekend here we have probably 500 reporters in town this weekend because at the head of it is a guy who is governor of California. Again, a good image for our sport and whether they are interested at getting at our sport or whether they are interested at getting the guy who is governor of California is all part of the same equation. And we’re in the same family of interests and have every good reason to protect the sport.
Jim Lorimer and Arnold Schwarzenegger have been business partners for over three decades. They have co-promoted the Arnold Classic since 1988. This year celebrates the 20th anniversity of the Arnold Classic.
Schwarzenegger has been criticized again and again for his promotion of the Arnold Classic and his close ties to the sport of bodybuilding.
About the author
Millard writes about anabolic steroids and performance enhancing drugs and their use and impact in sport and society. He discusses the medical and non-medical uses of anabolic-androgenic steroids while advocating a harm reduction approach to steroid education.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.