Being involved in the sport of natural bodybuilding
for roughly 30 years now... I have heard the
whispers and suspicions of competitors cheating the
system. I'd like to believe that everyone who comes
to compete in a natural bodybuilding show is doing
so as a drug free athlete. Unfortunately, that's not
always the case.
In the OCB / IFPA there is a minimum requirement
that every competitor take, and pass, a polygraph to
qualify to compete in any show. Is it enough? Is it
possible for competitors to pass a polygraph while
cheating the system? Personally... I think
anything's possible.
Currently... in addition to the mandatory polygraph
for all competitors, other forms of drug screening
are only mandatory at pro qualifiers, and pro (IFPA)
shows. These usually consist of all overall winners
and some random competitors taking additional
testing. Believe it or not... there have been, and
always will be cases where competitors fail the
additional drug screen. HONESTLY!
The organization deals with those instances swiftly
and appropriately.
But, as a competitor, judge, and promoter... these
failures still bother me greatly. I want to compete
on a level playing field. I want to know I'm judging
physiques on a level playing field. And now, as a
promoter... I want to promote a show that has every
competitor competing in my shows to be on a level
playing field.
It's pretty simple if you're promoting a pro
qualifier or pro show. You have to drug screen the
winners. But, what happens in the case of pretty
much 75% of all of our shows which aren't pro
qualifiers, or pro shows? It's not mandatory to do
anything other than have the competitor take a
polygraph, and pass to compete.
So... It got me wondering why I've never seen drug
screening at non-pro qualifiers, or if it's even ok
to do so. I contacted Matt Shepley (president of OCB
/IFPA) to ask what our policy is for non-pro
qualifiers. It ends up... the same types of drug
screening can be done at any OCB show. So yes...
it's possible to drug screen competitors in non-pro
qualifiers too. So... why isn't it done? It's a sad
but true answer. MONEY!
It costs a lot of money to do a urinalysis. Non pro
qualifiers tend to be a little smaller in size than
pro qualifiers... so, the amount of money available
to do drug screens is limited. Sadly, since they
aren't mandatory... we just don't see them being
administered often.
In my experience... I have seen competitors compete
and win non-pro qualifiers, who refuse to compete in
pro qualifiers. Is this a conspiracy?
Probably not... but, it might not be a coincidence
either.
So... as a promoter of three non-pro qualifiers in
2010. What am I to do?
For me... it's easy. I'm going to drug screen all
overall winners at each event I promote. I will also
randomly test competitors at all three events as
well. As the promoter... I'm the last line of
defense for every drug free competitor in my shows.
Money will NOT be an acceptable factor to not have
drug screening.
I hope my fellow promoters will try to follow my
lead... but, I understand the financial obligation
that comes with it. All of our promoters do the best
they can... following the rules as they are applied
to their show(s), and within their financial
constraints.
My goal is to someday find a way to create a fund
that will help all promoters who don't have the
financial means, to do the additional drug screening
at non-pro qualifiers.
For now... I'll do everything I can to give every
competitor their fair chance. We all train too hard
to have anything less.
The Fund
Ken Arsenault
Competitor / Judge / Promoter
