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The IFBB Sex Scandal: Is This the End?
By Marc Lobliner
CMO Tigerfitness.com
Some websites run by J.M. Manion have come under fire because of a Washington Post exposé on the IFBB. Since then, gossip channels on YouTube have weighed in. But unlike these guys, I have been in the industry for over 20 years including a stint working at Weider Publications from 1999-2004. I know all the dirt and let me tell you … it’s really not that dirty! Well, unless you forget the fact that this “sport” is about the body and oozes sexuality.
I recall when I was a teenager training at Gold’s Venice hearing about bodybuilders turning tricks, aka prostituting themselves for money to pay for their drugs and living expenses.
On the shady side, I have had run-ins with promoters. One notable one would hold his “posing clinics” and if you didn’t go and pay the piper, he would prevent you from winning any shows.
Allegedly, LOL.
But the promoter issue was YEARS ago, and since then the Manions have cleaned it up. The promoters now, from Allen Sizemore in Tennessee to Kevin DeHaven in North Carolina, are upstanding and ETHICAL individuals who competed themselves and want nothing more than a fair and well-run show.
Bodybuilding has never been better. We have Chris Bumstead getting more likes than a Kardashian, the most stacked Olympia lineup in decades and I see more and more people competing in shows.
Let’s hop back to the sexual allegations. The sites were taken down in 2015. That is seven years ago. I am not going to downplay these allegations, but that’s a long time for this to surface. What I am seeing is a dogpiling on the Manions for something that was never hidden. The sites were out in the open. The main issue I see is a potential conflict of interest since J.M.’s father, Jim Manion, heads up the IFBB and he was managing and photographing these athletes. But in all of these cases I have seen no accusation of J.M. doing anything to any of these women; he was simply photographing them with their consent for an agreed upon fee.
The allegation is that other athlete managers and promoters told their athletes they had to do it to win shows.
This is not J.M.’s issue. The coaches probably thought working with Jim’s son would help them get looked at by judges, but that’s all conjecture at this point. This is probably why they shut the sites down in 2015; it can lead to confusion and unethical actions.
At the time of writing this article, we are being promised more articles in The Washington Post but have no idea what they will contain.
So, what does this mean for bodybuilding?
In my opinion, nothing. Bodybuilding will flourish. Jim has paid his dues. The man has worked more hours for the sport than anyone since Joe Weider. J.M. has a great family and will be fine.
Management is in great hands. Steve Weinberger and Tyler Manion lead with zero hiccups and from what I have seen, Tyler is already doing this including being a critical component to the launch of the Classic Physique division.
Bodybuilding and fitness competitions in general will always have a sexual dark side, there is no way around it. We have guys posing in eyepatches over their genitals and females bending over and looking back at it as a mandatory pose. The sport has always been riddled with female nude wrestling, porn, gay 4 pay (don’t cancel me, that’s what it’s called!) and beyond sexuality you have steroids and the fact that to compete in this sport at a high level, you have to be somewhat selfish. This is all a recipe for lewd behavior.
The bottom line is that these sites weren’t a secret. They literally put out ads for them in magazines! Women willingly consented to take pictures and now are ashamed of them. Whether it was suggested that it will help their placings or not, they made the decision to take the pictures and if they did take the pictures to place higher, that implicates them in intending to cheat to win, not a good look either way.
As the facts roll in, we will know more. But that will not take down bodybuilding.
The fans won’t care, and the competitors will still compete. The IFBB Pro Card is still the only bodybuilding pro card with any value. I apologize to all other competitors with pro cards from other organizations, but we know it’s true. I was a NABBA Pro, and everyone knew it was a far cry from an IFBB Pro. Be proud of your pro status, but let’s be real, it’s like comparing Arena Football to the NFL.
All we can do it wait for the facts to come in. Don’t jump to conclusions and always verify sources – The Washington Post isn’t exactly a credible periodical.
I will pray for any of the “victims” in this case and whatever the truth is, I hope it prevails.
Note: This season we are being hit with a ton of sickness from RSV to the flu. Check out Ambrosia Vida, a viral defense formula that will help your body fight off these foreign invaders. Available at Tigerfitness.com!
https://www.tigerfitness.com/
Instagram @tigerfitness
Instagram @marclobliner
Twitter @MarcLobliner
YouTube: Tiger Fitness
DISCUSS ON OUR FORUMSSUBSCRIBE TO MD TODAY
GET OFFICIAL MD STUFFVISIT OUR STORE
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
ALSO, MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON:
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The IFBB Sex Scandal: Is This the End?
By Marc Lobliner
CMO Tigerfitness.com
Some websites run by J.M. Manion have come under fire because of a Washington Post exposé on the IFBB. Since then, gossip channels on YouTube have weighed in. But unlike these guys, I have been in the industry for over 20 years including a stint working at Weider Publications from 1999-2004. I know all the dirt and let me tell you … it’s really not that dirty! Well, unless you forget the fact that this “sport” is about the body and oozes sexuality.
I recall when I was a teenager training at Gold’s Venice hearing about bodybuilders turning tricks, aka prostituting themselves for money to pay for their drugs and living expenses.
On the shady side, I have had run-ins with promoters. One notable one would hold his “posing clinics” and if you didn’t go and pay the piper, he would prevent you from winning any shows.
Allegedly, LOL.
But the promoter issue was YEARS ago, and since then the Manions have cleaned it up. The promoters now, from Allen Sizemore in Tennessee to Kevin DeHaven in North Carolina, are upstanding and ETHICAL individuals who competed themselves and want nothing more than a fair and well-run show.
Bodybuilding has never been better. We have Chris Bumstead getting more likes than a Kardashian, the most stacked Olympia lineup in decades and I see more and more people competing in shows.
Let’s hop back to the sexual allegations. The sites were taken down in 2015. That is seven years ago. I am not going to downplay these allegations, but that’s a long time for this to surface. What I am seeing is a dogpiling on the Manions for something that was never hidden. The sites were out in the open. The main issue I see is a potential conflict of interest since J.M.’s father, Jim Manion, heads up the IFBB and he was managing and photographing these athletes. But in all of these cases I have seen no accusation of J.M. doing anything to any of these women; he was simply photographing them with their consent for an agreed upon fee.
The allegation is that other athlete managers and promoters told their athletes they had to do it to win shows.
This is not J.M.’s issue. The coaches probably thought working with Jim’s son would help them get looked at by judges, but that’s all conjecture at this point. This is probably why they shut the sites down in 2015; it can lead to confusion and unethical actions.
At the time of writing this article, we are being promised more articles in The Washington Post but have no idea what they will contain.
So, what does this mean for bodybuilding?
In my opinion, nothing. Bodybuilding will flourish. Jim has paid his dues. The man has worked more hours for the sport than anyone since Joe Weider. J.M. has a great family and will be fine.
Management is in great hands. Steve Weinberger and Tyler Manion lead with zero hiccups and from what I have seen, Tyler is already doing this including being a critical component to the launch of the Classic Physique division.
Bodybuilding and fitness competitions in general will always have a sexual dark side, there is no way around it. We have guys posing in eyepatches over their genitals and females bending over and looking back at it as a mandatory pose. The sport has always been riddled with female nude wrestling, porn, gay 4 pay (don’t cancel me, that’s what it’s called!) and beyond sexuality you have steroids and the fact that to compete in this sport at a high level, you have to be somewhat selfish. This is all a recipe for lewd behavior.
The bottom line is that these sites weren’t a secret. They literally put out ads for them in magazines! Women willingly consented to take pictures and now are ashamed of them. Whether it was suggested that it will help their placings or not, they made the decision to take the pictures and if they did take the pictures to place higher, that implicates them in intending to cheat to win, not a good look either way.
As the facts roll in, we will know more. But that will not take down bodybuilding.
The fans won’t care, and the competitors will still compete. The IFBB Pro Card is still the only bodybuilding pro card with any value. I apologize to all other competitors with pro cards from other organizations, but we know it’s true. I was a NABBA Pro, and everyone knew it was a far cry from an IFBB Pro. Be proud of your pro status, but let’s be real, it’s like comparing Arena Football to the NFL.
All we can do it wait for the facts to come in. Don’t jump to conclusions and always verify sources – The Washington Post isn’t exactly a credible periodical.
I will pray for any of the “victims” in this case and whatever the truth is, I hope it prevails.
Note: This season we are being hit with a ton of sickness from RSV to the flu. Check out Ambrosia Vida, a viral defense formula that will help your body fight off these foreign invaders. Available at Tigerfitness.com!
https://www.tigerfitness.com/
Instagram @tigerfitness
Instagram @marclobliner
Twitter @MarcLobliner
YouTube: Tiger Fitness
DISCUSS ON OUR FORUMS
SUBSCRIBE TO MD TODAY
GET OFFICIAL MD STUFF
VISIT OUR STORE
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
ALSO, MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON:
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE
Top
Top
Click here to view the article.
By Marc Lobliner
CMO Tigerfitness.com
Some websites run by J.M. Manion have come under fire because of a Washington Post exposé on the IFBB. Since then, gossip channels on YouTube have weighed in. But unlike these guys, I have been in the industry for over 20 years including a stint working at Weider Publications from 1999-2004. I know all the dirt and let me tell you … it’s really not that dirty! Well, unless you forget the fact that this “sport” is about the body and oozes sexuality.
I recall when I was a teenager training at Gold’s Venice hearing about bodybuilders turning tricks, aka prostituting themselves for money to pay for their drugs and living expenses.
On the shady side, I have had run-ins with promoters. One notable one would hold his “posing clinics” and if you didn’t go and pay the piper, he would prevent you from winning any shows.
Allegedly, LOL.
But the promoter issue was YEARS ago, and since then the Manions have cleaned it up. The promoters now, from Allen Sizemore in Tennessee to Kevin DeHaven in North Carolina, are upstanding and ETHICAL individuals who competed themselves and want nothing more than a fair and well-run show.
Bodybuilding has never been better. We have Chris Bumstead getting more likes than a Kardashian, the most stacked Olympia lineup in decades and I see more and more people competing in shows.
Let’s hop back to the sexual allegations. The sites were taken down in 2015. That is seven years ago. I am not going to downplay these allegations, but that’s a long time for this to surface. What I am seeing is a dogpiling on the Manions for something that was never hidden. The sites were out in the open. The main issue I see is a potential conflict of interest since J.M.’s father, Jim Manion, heads up the IFBB and he was managing and photographing these athletes. But in all of these cases I have seen no accusation of J.M. doing anything to any of these women; he was simply photographing them with their consent for an agreed upon fee.
The allegation is that other athlete managers and promoters told their athletes they had to do it to win shows.
This is not J.M.’s issue. The coaches probably thought working with Jim’s son would help them get looked at by judges, but that’s all conjecture at this point. This is probably why they shut the sites down in 2015; it can lead to confusion and unethical actions.
At the time of writing this article, we are being promised more articles in The Washington Post but have no idea what they will contain.
So, what does this mean for bodybuilding?
In my opinion, nothing. Bodybuilding will flourish. Jim has paid his dues. The man has worked more hours for the sport than anyone since Joe Weider. J.M. has a great family and will be fine.
Management is in great hands. Steve Weinberger and Tyler Manion lead with zero hiccups and from what I have seen, Tyler is already doing this including being a critical component to the launch of the Classic Physique division.
Bodybuilding and fitness competitions in general will always have a sexual dark side, there is no way around it. We have guys posing in eyepatches over their genitals and females bending over and looking back at it as a mandatory pose. The sport has always been riddled with female nude wrestling, porn, gay 4 pay (don’t cancel me, that’s what it’s called!) and beyond sexuality you have steroids and the fact that to compete in this sport at a high level, you have to be somewhat selfish. This is all a recipe for lewd behavior.
The bottom line is that these sites weren’t a secret. They literally put out ads for them in magazines! Women willingly consented to take pictures and now are ashamed of them. Whether it was suggested that it will help their placings or not, they made the decision to take the pictures and if they did take the pictures to place higher, that implicates them in intending to cheat to win, not a good look either way.
As the facts roll in, we will know more. But that will not take down bodybuilding.
The fans won’t care, and the competitors will still compete. The IFBB Pro Card is still the only bodybuilding pro card with any value. I apologize to all other competitors with pro cards from other organizations, but we know it’s true. I was a NABBA Pro, and everyone knew it was a far cry from an IFBB Pro. Be proud of your pro status, but let’s be real, it’s like comparing Arena Football to the NFL.
All we can do it wait for the facts to come in. Don’t jump to conclusions and always verify sources – The Washington Post isn’t exactly a credible periodical.
I will pray for any of the “victims” in this case and whatever the truth is, I hope it prevails.
Note: This season we are being hit with a ton of sickness from RSV to the flu. Check out Ambrosia Vida, a viral defense formula that will help your body fight off these foreign invaders. Available at Tigerfitness.com!
https://www.tigerfitness.com/
Instagram @tigerfitness
Instagram @marclobliner
Twitter @MarcLobliner
YouTube: Tiger Fitness
DISCUSS ON OUR FORUMSSUBSCRIBE TO MD TODAY
GET OFFICIAL MD STUFFVISIT OUR STORE
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
ALSO, MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON:
FACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAM YOUTUBE
Top
Top
The IFBB Sex Scandal: Is This the End?
By Marc Lobliner
CMO Tigerfitness.com
Some websites run by J.M. Manion have come under fire because of a Washington Post exposé on the IFBB. Since then, gossip channels on YouTube have weighed in. But unlike these guys, I have been in the industry for over 20 years including a stint working at Weider Publications from 1999-2004. I know all the dirt and let me tell you … it’s really not that dirty! Well, unless you forget the fact that this “sport” is about the body and oozes sexuality.
I recall when I was a teenager training at Gold’s Venice hearing about bodybuilders turning tricks, aka prostituting themselves for money to pay for their drugs and living expenses.
On the shady side, I have had run-ins with promoters. One notable one would hold his “posing clinics” and if you didn’t go and pay the piper, he would prevent you from winning any shows.
Allegedly, LOL.
But the promoter issue was YEARS ago, and since then the Manions have cleaned it up. The promoters now, from Allen Sizemore in Tennessee to Kevin DeHaven in North Carolina, are upstanding and ETHICAL individuals who competed themselves and want nothing more than a fair and well-run show.
Bodybuilding has never been better. We have Chris Bumstead getting more likes than a Kardashian, the most stacked Olympia lineup in decades and I see more and more people competing in shows.
Let’s hop back to the sexual allegations. The sites were taken down in 2015. That is seven years ago. I am not going to downplay these allegations, but that’s a long time for this to surface. What I am seeing is a dogpiling on the Manions for something that was never hidden. The sites were out in the open. The main issue I see is a potential conflict of interest since J.M.’s father, Jim Manion, heads up the IFBB and he was managing and photographing these athletes. But in all of these cases I have seen no accusation of J.M. doing anything to any of these women; he was simply photographing them with their consent for an agreed upon fee.
The allegation is that other athlete managers and promoters told their athletes they had to do it to win shows.
This is not J.M.’s issue. The coaches probably thought working with Jim’s son would help them get looked at by judges, but that’s all conjecture at this point. This is probably why they shut the sites down in 2015; it can lead to confusion and unethical actions.
At the time of writing this article, we are being promised more articles in The Washington Post but have no idea what they will contain.
So, what does this mean for bodybuilding?
In my opinion, nothing. Bodybuilding will flourish. Jim has paid his dues. The man has worked more hours for the sport than anyone since Joe Weider. J.M. has a great family and will be fine.
Management is in great hands. Steve Weinberger and Tyler Manion lead with zero hiccups and from what I have seen, Tyler is already doing this including being a critical component to the launch of the Classic Physique division.
Bodybuilding and fitness competitions in general will always have a sexual dark side, there is no way around it. We have guys posing in eyepatches over their genitals and females bending over and looking back at it as a mandatory pose. The sport has always been riddled with female nude wrestling, porn, gay 4 pay (don’t cancel me, that’s what it’s called!) and beyond sexuality you have steroids and the fact that to compete in this sport at a high level, you have to be somewhat selfish. This is all a recipe for lewd behavior.
The bottom line is that these sites weren’t a secret. They literally put out ads for them in magazines! Women willingly consented to take pictures and now are ashamed of them. Whether it was suggested that it will help their placings or not, they made the decision to take the pictures and if they did take the pictures to place higher, that implicates them in intending to cheat to win, not a good look either way.
As the facts roll in, we will know more. But that will not take down bodybuilding.
The fans won’t care, and the competitors will still compete. The IFBB Pro Card is still the only bodybuilding pro card with any value. I apologize to all other competitors with pro cards from other organizations, but we know it’s true. I was a NABBA Pro, and everyone knew it was a far cry from an IFBB Pro. Be proud of your pro status, but let’s be real, it’s like comparing Arena Football to the NFL.
All we can do it wait for the facts to come in. Don’t jump to conclusions and always verify sources – The Washington Post isn’t exactly a credible periodical.
I will pray for any of the “victims” in this case and whatever the truth is, I hope it prevails.
Note: This season we are being hit with a ton of sickness from RSV to the flu. Check out Ambrosia Vida, a viral defense formula that will help your body fight off these foreign invaders. Available at Tigerfitness.com!
https://www.tigerfitness.com/
Instagram @tigerfitness
Instagram @marclobliner
Twitter @MarcLobliner
YouTube: Tiger Fitness
DISCUSS ON OUR FORUMS
SUBSCRIBE TO MD TODAY
GET OFFICIAL MD STUFF
VISIT OUR STORE
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
ALSO, MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON:
YOUTUBE
Top
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Click here to view the article.
