| The debate on whether bodybuilding should
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| | professionals.
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| be an Olympic sport has been raging for
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| | Another reason stated by the IOC for
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| years amongst the bodybuilding community
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| | excluding bodybuilding from the Olympics
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| and those interested in the Olympics.
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| | was that the judging in competitive
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| Ardent fans argue that weightlifting has
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| | bodybuilding was far too subjective for
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| been an Olympic sport for years, so why
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| | an Olympic judge to critique. Given the
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| not bodybuilding? To diehard fans,
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| | controversy surrounding the subjective
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| bodybuilding and the Olympics seems to be
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| | judging of sports such as ice skating,
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| a perfect fit, and questions like "Why is
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| | diving, and gymnastics this argument
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| bodybuilding not already an Olympic
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| | hardly seems to hold water. In fact,
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| sport?" are routinely aired.
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| | bodybuilding would seem to be a perfect
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| Perhaps the more telling questions to ask
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| | fit!
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| are "Should bodybuilding be an Olympic
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| | How Bodybuilding Could Help The Olympics
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| sport?", and "Would making bodybuilding
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| | As competitive bodybuilding has never
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| an Olympic sport help the Olympics?"
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| | been a mainstream sport, including it as
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| Bodybuilding And The Olympics: Why It Is
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| | an Olympic Sport would allow the sport to
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| Not Already An Olympic Sport
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| | be better known and recognized. It would
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| The current Olympic program consists of
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| | also make the sport more accessible,
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| 35 sports, 53 disciplines and more than
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| | allowing people to learn more about
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| 400 events, ranging from archery through
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| | bodybuilding, and possibly participate
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| to weightlifting and wrestling. The
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| | themselves.
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| bodybuilding fan base, competitors, and
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| | Bodybuilding would also help the Olympics
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| sponsors are all ready and willing to
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| | by widening the scope of sports on
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| take the step to Olympic level. The
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| | display. By showcasing bodybuilding, the
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| stumbling block is the International
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| | Olympics would be encouraging people of
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| Olympic Committee and the OPC, who state
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| | all ages to eat good food, work out,
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| simply that according to their criteria,
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| | become fit, and look after their health.
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| bodybuilding is not a sport and there has
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| | These are important messages in a world
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| no place in the Olympics.
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| | where so many people are overweight.
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| This stand begs the question, "what
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| | A look back into history reveals that the
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| determines a sport in the first place?".
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| | Olympics were first introduced by the
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| A simple definition by the Australian
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| | Greeks, who idolized and revered well
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| Sports Foundation says that sport is "a
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| | toned, aesthetic bodies with healthy
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| human activity capable of achieving a
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| | strong physiques.
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| result requiring physical exertion and/or
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| | Bodybuilding And The Olympics: The Main
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| physical skill, which, by its nature and
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| | Argument Against
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| organization, is competitive and is
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| | Besides the drug doping issue, perhaps
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| generally accepted as being a sport."
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| | the most prominent argument against
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| Arguably, bodybuilding fits within this
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| | including bodybuilding in the Olympics is
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| definition, and one would think this
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| | the subjectivity of judges and the fact
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| should be enough for the IOC. However,
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| | that there is often no clear winner. Even
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| the primary problem the IOC has with
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| | though other Olympic sports like ice
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| allowing bodybuilding into the Olympics
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| | skating are also in this category, the
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| concerns drug abuse. They claim that the
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| | majority of Olympic sporting events
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| widespread use of performance enhancing
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| | feature clear winners, either by time,
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| drugs by bodybuilders would prevent
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| | distance, height or lifting weight. No
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| bodybuilding from complying with Olympic
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| | one can argue that judging mistakes have
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| drug policies. There are harsh and
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| | been made when a competitor clearly wins
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| vigilant doping rules for Olympic
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| | an event.
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| competitors, which would certainly
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| | Although the jury is still out on
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| exclude many professional bodybuilders.
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| | bodybuilding and Olympics, it seems for
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| However, the natural bodybuilding
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| | the time being at least, that the Olympic
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| fraternity does not use performance
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| | Committee has no intention of including
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| enhancing drugs. The Olympics could
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| | bodybuilding as an Olympic sport. Despite
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| uphold their drug policies, allowing only
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| | the fact that the bodybuilding fraternity
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| natural bodybuilders to compete at the
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| | is ready and willing to take the step to
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| Olympics. This also aligns with the
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| | Olympic level, it looks like they will be
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| tradition of the Olympics being a
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| | waiting for some time yet.
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| competition for sporting amateurs, not
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