If you haven't already heard, on 6th June the organisers of the Arnold Sports Festival announced that next year the Ms International will not be staged there.
The Arnold Classic 212 will replace the Ms. International women’s bodybuilding competition at the Arnold Sports Festival. The Ms. International was part of the Arnold Sports Festival for 25 years, with Iris Kyle winning her record seventh title in 2013.
“The Arnold Sports Festival was proud to support women’s bodybuilding through the Ms. International for the past quarter century,” [promoter Jim] Lorimer said. “But in keeping with demands of our fans, the time has come to introduce the Arnold Classic 212 beginning in 2014.”
Whatever "212" is, I don't think me and you are going to like it quite as much as we like Iris, Yaxeni, Debi and all the other great competitors, past and present.
Seriously though, as a fan of female bodybuilding, I am proper outraged, and thankfully, I'm not the only one. On Tuesday, the mighty Area Orion posted a link for a petition organised by Real Female Bodybuilding against the decision.
It reads:
Please support the sport of female bodybuilding - if the Ms International is allowed to die without a murmur of protest then it is likely that female bodybuilding and female physique competitions will also disappear from the world's sporting agenda forever. This is unfair, sexist, and will have a detrimental effect on all female muscle sports from powerlifting to fitness and bikini competitions. The latter will simply become beauty competitions of the kind we thought had died out decades ago. Arnold Schwarzenegger - the figurehead of the IFBB - built his life and considerable fortune on bodybuilding and it is only fair that female bodybuilders be given the same opportunity.
Time to stand up and be counted folks.
In many other sports around the world, the women's game is being promoted and encouraged, often using funds generated by the men. Only in bodybuilding is the federation that pretends to promote the sport actively discouraging female participation. How they can continue to call themselves the International Federation of BODYBUILDING is beyond me. It's not only outrageous, but also craps all over the work of the pioneers of female bodybuilding, without whom there would be no physique, figure or bikini classes at all.
Sign the petition.
Save the Miss International
I've always said to myself "If I ever win the lottery, I want to host a FBB competition with real prize money and no 'femininity' requirement. One where the biggest, most symmetrical and cut in her class wins". It's a shame that they're trying to eliminate this competition. I've signed the petition but unfortunately, I don't think it will be enough to save the Ms. International.
ReplyDeletehey Mr. Anonymoouse,
ReplyDeletewe dont Need to win the lottery... the key word might be crowd founding. What u think about that?!