ARNOLD COMMITS TO FIGHTING STEROID USE (Plus Arnold Classic Update)

CMNews ^ | 3/7/05

[KidGlock]

ARNOLD COMMITS TO FIGHTING STEROID USE

LATEST: California Governor ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER has pledged to combat the over use of steroids in sport after causing outrage by admitting he took the drugs at the beginning of his bodybuilding career.

The action man shocked TV viewers a week ago (27FEB05) when he told a US news show that he had no regrets about taking doctor-supervised steroids in the 1970s.

Speaking at his annual ARNOLD FITNESS WEEKEND in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday (05MAR05) the actor-turned-politician conceded he has done little to rid sports of illegal drugs.

And he has committed to convene a "summit" meeting with US sports' heads to devise a way of moving forward and encouraging younger stars not to cheat to win.

He told journalists, "I have done a lot and obviously I need to do more... I'm going to make sure our sport (bodybuilding) and our magazines will do their share to fight it.

"We have to do even more to get rid of drugs from our sport."

Steroids in sports has become a big issue in America in recent weeks after revelations from top baseball stars past and present that they have dabbled with the illegal drugs.

07/03/2005 03:27

[KidGlock]

Dexter Jackson edges Cormier for his first Arnold win

http://www.flexonline.com/news/77

Written by: Shawn Perine

The 2005 Arnold Classic men's bodybuilding competition is in the bag and Dexter Jackson couldn't be happier. "The Blade" finally took home the gold in his eighth AC appearance and let the audience get a rare glimpse of emotion.

Tears flowed as he looked heavenward upon hearing Chris Cormier announced the event's bridesmaid. One imagined Cormier himself needed to summon all his great strength to stop a similar flow.

This was Chris' sixth consecutive second place finish at the Arnold Classic - a mark unmatched in professional bodybuilding.

It was close. Dexter won based on hardness, his typical strong suit. Chris' conditioning wasn't far off, but far off enough to relegate him to his unenviably historic position.

Gustavo Badell took a deep breath as he was announced third. Despite his disappointing finish he's already established himself as a frontrunner for this October's Olympia. Lee Priest took fourth, looking as good as he's ever been. Melvin Anthony finished in fifth and seemed to be happy with the result. A disappointed Darrem Charles took sixth place despite his crisp conditioning and outstanding posing routine.

Melvin Anthony was awarded the trophy for best poser and Dexter Jackson nabbed the most muscular award.

Congratulations must go out once again to Jim Lorimer and Arnold Schwarzenegger for promoting a show that is at the pinnacle of professionalism and excitement.

[pickemuphere]

These guys are becoming increasingly disgusting.

[Avenger]

Like anyone is going to listen to Arnold on this issue...come on.

Yeah, these guys are looking pretty disgusting. There has to be some sort of mental illness to inspire someone to distort their body to that degree.

[Nataku X]

The dirty secret of bodybuilding is that no one can succeed in competitions without steroids. Especially women... women just do not naturally get "big"

[SengirV]

Do as I say, not what I do. BOOOOOO!!!!!

[KidGlock]

I went to the Arnold this weekend.

No, no mental illness to want to get that big.

Short-sightedness? Sure.

[KidGlock]

What he did was legal.

And he got the steroids from his doctor.

[sgtbono2002]

You think the guys are disgusting , take a peek at the women. As for the TV viewers that were shocked at hearing Arnold say he used steroids, what rock have they been living under for the last 20 years?

[Rammer]

Legal isn't always synonymous with wise.

[KidGlock]

You are right about the women. YUCK!

I think there is mental illness involved with some of the female bodybuilders.

At the expo this weekend, I had a rule...

If it took more than a quarter of a second to decide if it was a man or a woman, turn around and run.

[KidGlock]

To give you an idea of where the sport has come in 30 years, look at 70s and 80s Olympia competitor/winner Frank Zane next to one of today's bodybuilders:

[KidGlock]

So Bush cannot tell kids to beware of alcoholism?

[rabidralph]

He looks like a turtle with his shell on backwards.

[cyborg]

You can tell he takes roids because of his bloated belly.

[Yossarian]

Zane on the left has a body I'd like to have. (I assume when he isn't flexing, it looks pretty normal...)

The thing on the right - isn't that one of the monsters from Doom 3?

[Yossarian]

You can tell he takes roids because of his bloated belly.

Bloated belly? I could tell by his missing nuts!

[cyborg]

That's why there are a lot of ads for sex pills and penis pumps in the back of these bodybuilding mags.

[SengirV]

I didn't know that Bush was the Mr. Universe Drinker. I didn't know that Bush got all his fame and notoriety from drinking. I didn't know that W had to maintain a .10 BAC to get his degree, own the Rangers, become Governor of Texas, etc..

You learn something new everyday.

[KidGlock]

Do as I say, not what I do. BOOOOOO!!!!!

This was your statement. Arnold did not get all of his notoriety from steroids. He got it from being the best bodybuilder of his day and for taking the sport to a new level.

Like it or not, what Arnold did was legal and accepted by the medical profession.

Just as the rules for the types of gasoline or engine modifications for race cars have changed in 30 years, so have the rules for the types of supplements athletes use.

In 20 years from now, is it going to be controversial to you to know have a politician admit he used ephedra when he was college athletes in 2002, when that supplement was still legal?

If not Arnold, who would be the best spokesman to get the bodybuilding industry to clean up the sport and to keep high school kids off steroids?

[Dane]

I have recently started weight training and I enjoy it. Most people think that bodybuilding is all about steroids, but there are many more aspects such as the diet and dieting and working out 4 or 5 times a week. It takes a lot of self-discipline. Much more discipline than being a couch potato and eating a bag of doritoes and gulping down a 2 liter bottle of Mountain Dew.

Of course some people will have a negative reaction, but some people have the same reaction about boxing, saying it is a barbaric sport, but is a sport that takes an incredible amount of stamina and discipline.

As for the steroids I have mixed feelings. People basically use them to better themselves in an endeavor, unlike marijuana and other drugs, which are used to get high, for the most part.

As someone said to me on a FR thread about the steroids in baseball, they are akin to a better pole vault pole or a new bicycle design. The only difference is that steroids can be abused.

Do a google search about the abuse the East German sports coaches did to the female athletes in the 70's and 80's.

Lot's of difficult questions and ehtical standards.

I agree with you about female bodybuilding, and that's why I think fitness competitions are exploding, much more easier on the eyes.