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