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Oct 13

The One Thing That NEVER Should Be Done At A Drug-Free Competition

P1010194For the life of me, I don’t know why this is done. Oh, I know HOW it’s done…rather easily, I must add, but I need someone to help me understand WHY it’s done.  Why is this one thing done over and over at drug-free shows? What the heck are you talking about, Davie? Simple. Drugged competitors sneaking into a drug-free show.

Oh, c’mon. If you’ve been in this sport long enough, you know of, heard of, or suspected someone of using drugs and competing (or attempting to compete) in a natural show, especially an NPC show.

There are two drug-free shows in the Pacific Northwest – the MacDaddy of Natural Bodybuilding promoted by Brad and Elaine Craig of Craig Productions –  the Washington Ironman Naturally, and its little brother down in Vancouver, WA, The Vancouver Natural, promoted by Wade Lowery, who recently took over the show from long-time promoter, Frank Bohm of Bohm Promotions. These are the ONLY two NPC drug-free shows in our region, with over 20 other non-tested shows in WA, OR, AK, ID, and MT. Yet, for the life of me, some drugged bodybuilders insist on wanting to compete in OUR shows! WHY??

To my enhanced competitors, are you THAT weak, THAT pathetic of an individual to where the only way you’ll feel good about yourself is to snatch a trophy out of the hands of true natural competitors? Are you that incapable of competing against peers in YOUR arena to where you seek 5 minutes of fame and glory by winning a ‘natty’ show? I mean, let’s face it…as a drug-free competitor, I’ve stepped in your world many, MANY times, winning a few, losing the majority. But that’s okay. I can live with that as I know my lane. I know that I’m in your world and you have an advantage over me. I don’t complain, I don’t cry. I compete because I love to compete.  And I expect to get beat. But when you step in my world…well…we have a problem.

DSC_7723-Version-2Last weekend at the Ironman (10-2-15) I was responsible for calling out the people I thought was on…lemme rephrase…who looked like they could’ve been on. I called out 8. Probably would’ve called out more if I could’ve had all Men’s Physique and women competitors strip. Why didn’t they strip seeing as it’s a drug-free show and we should be looking at EVERYONE, not just the bodybuilders and maybe a few Men’s Physique who ‘looked’ a bit too swole through their clothes? That’s something I talked with the promoter about and will be addressed next year, especially in light of the fact that one of the guys I didn’t look at, who was in Men’s Physique, clearly looked like he was on. Perhaps he was drug-free, but his gynecomastia (feminization of the male breast tissue) was so pronounced that several of the judges and people up front turned and looked at me during prejudging like, “Dave, you didn’t call this guy out to be tested?” No. I didn’t. Because I didn’t get to see his physique during check-in. That’s the only way we do our random testing.

Understand one thing. We aren’t ‘picking’ on a competitor when we call him (and hopefully her one day soon) out for a test. As I told every guy, “Consider it a compliment to be tested. That means your look is so good, that we believe you might be trying to sneak into a natural show. It’s not personal. In fact, it gives you bragging rights! ‘I looked so good that Dave called me out to be tested!’ That’s when you know you’ve got a great physique.”

David-as-Michael-JacksonPersonally, I’ve been tested 5 times during my career. Passed every one. I would’ve loved to have seen every single competitor I called out pass, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. My understanding is that two failed, and one walked out after being told he was to be tested. 3 out of 8. Not good stats there, people. And that’s only the people I called out. How many more got in under the radar? How many Men’s Physique snuck in and stole hardware from a drug-free competitor? How many WOMEN got in the door knowing that we NEVER have them strip? This has to change. And it has to stop.

As far as I’m concerned, the only TRUE way to stop druggies sneaking in (oh c’mon…you’re getting pissed that I call you ‘druggies’? I’ve been called a ‘natty’ my whole career. Get over it.) is to test ALL CLASS WINNERS. I know, “Davie, that’s dumb. And it’s not random testing.” Yes, it is random testing. We have no idea who’s going to win. That’s the randomness. If you win your class, you get tested, simple as that. If I were on drugs and I knew I had a real good chance at taking my class BUT I knew that I’d be tested immediately following, and have to forfeit my trophy, and risk social media embarrassment, yeah…I’d definitely think twice about sneaking in. But with the way it stands now, competitors hope they can sneak in.

The problem with this idea is 1) You can’t test until AFTER the class/show is over, so the effect of ‘winning’ through cheating is still in your favor…until the backlash hits about you being disqualified.  2) YOU ROBBED THE TRUE NATURAL COMPETITOR OF HIS/HER MOMENT AND A SHOT AT AN OVERALL!!  That’s why you’re scum in my eyes.

It was amazing how many guys asked, “Do I have to strip?” My standard answer was, “NPC rules require every bodybuilder who has to weigh in to strip.” I know that many don’t want to strip because they don’t want anyone in their class to see their physique. One guy insisted that he’d make weight with his clothes on. I just smiled, held my ground, and replied, “I need you to strip, son.” He did. And I called him to be tested. Go figure…

Tony-as-King-TutOne final thought. Most competitors have a coach. I’d venture to bet (a large sum of money at that) that IT’S THE COACHES who recommend/suggest/push a competitor to take a lil’ of this or a lil’ of that to give a competitor that ‘edge’ over everyone else. Or perhaps the coach simply says, “Hell, they won’t test. You won’t get caught…” If a coach puts a drugged competitor in a show, then that coach is scum also. Actually, the coach is lower than scum, because the coach KNOWS it’s morally and ethically wrong.  The coach is betting his/her reputation and livelihood AND the reputation of the competitor by putting a drugged competitor in a natural show. If you’re a coach reading this, and you’ve put a drugged competitor in a show, I’m actually looking forward to your argument – your response – in support of doing this. Yeah…I bet that’d go over real big in the social media circles. Oh, and please don’t think about messaging me privately. I’ll simply call you out on social media. Honestly, give me ANY GOOD REASON OR EXPLANATION as to why it’s acceptable for drugged bodybuilders to compete in natural shows. I really would like to hear them, because after 42 years, I still haven’t found one.

Steroid RaidSo what’s considered being on drugs? Well…outside of finding out what is considered performance-enhancing drugs (PED’s), probably the easiest way I can think of is this. If you can’t categorically tell anyone and everyone EXACTLY what’s going in your body, if you leave ANYTHING out intentionally or knowingly, if you have to lie to people to hide what you’re doing, then yeah…you’re probably on something that’s illegal, unethical, and that’ll more likely than not be caught in a lie-detector test. This includes the ‘mild’ stuff like Anavar, the diuretics (yes, it’s performance-enhancing in the sense of getting you drier and harder, thereby giving you an advantage), Clenbuterol, and T-3, along with all the other gear.

Okay…rant over. I’ve touched on this before, but like anything else in life, people always look for, in many instances, the unfair advantage. Twenty+ shows to two. I think the drugged competitors have more than their share of shows to compete in. People…stay in your own lane. Peace…

Oh, if you’re drug-free and liked this blog (in fact, even if you’re enhanced, and you enoyed it), PLEASE SHARE!

Natural bodybuilders - Dr Evil

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