Along with his remarkable work in movies like The Terminator and Predator, Arnold Schwarzenegger also boasts a legacy in bodybuilding. Winning three Mr. Universe titles and the professional Mr. Olympia title six years in a row from 1970 to 1975, along with a seventh win in 1980, the actor has become a legendary figure in the world of bodybuilding.
However, Schwarzenegger’s seventh win along with the subsequent win of his close friend Franco Columbu in 1981 have sparked debates over fairness, prompting three legendary bodybuilding icons to boycott the competition.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Olympia Dominance Sparked Outcry in Bodybuilding Community
The 1980 and 1981 Mr. Olympia competition faced unprecedented disruption and scrutiny with the allegations of unfair judgment. Arnold Schwarzenegger, also known as the Austrian Oak in the bodybuilding world, won the title of Mr. Olympia for the seventh time following a five-year hiatus in 1980.
However, it was the 1981 Mr. Olympia that truly ignited controversy, after Schwarzenegger’s dear friend, Franco Columbu, emerged victorious amidst widespread dissent. It led to favored contenders, including Frank Zane, Mike Mentzer, and Boyer Coe, to boycott the event in protest.
Many claimed that the decision was biased and that Danny Padilla, Roy Callender, and Tom Platz were expected to win the prestigious title. It is also argued that while Columbo’s upper body was fantastic, his legs had no cuts, and that his posing was not that great either.
However, the discussions also suggested that Columbo was bound to win the title that year particularly as “Arnold [Schwarzenegger] is his buddy.” However, once the decision was made, it led many to believe that the Mr. Olympia contest did not hold credibility. Even the dissatisfied audience is claimed to have booed when Franco Columbu was announced as the winner.
Mike Mentzer Voiced Discontent With the State of Bodybuilding
One of the bodybuilders who boycotted the 1981 Mr. Olympia, Mike Mentzer, expressed his disappointment with the competition’s outcomes, particularly Franco Columbu’s victory. The late bodybuilder argued that Columbo’s win was undeserving as many believed that Danny Padilla, Roy Callender, and Tom Platz were the top contenders in the competition.
Following the controversy, he announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding. According to his peers, Mentzer felt that the integrity of the sport had been compromised, leading him to lose respect for it entirely. Expressing his discontentment with the state of the sport he once loved, Mentzer said in an interview,
“I don’t accept this tacit code that most other top bodybuilders have, in which they believe that we should never say anything negative about the sport. No matter what it is, if that continues to be the orienting philosophy of those involved in the sport, then the sport will, in fact, die.”
Dennis Tinerino, another esteemed bodybuilder, echoed Mentzer’s sentiments, stating that the Mr. Olympia contest had been unfairly judged for two consecutive years. Tinerino suggested that the repeated controversies had diminished the significance of the competition in the eyes of many, tarnishing its reputation.
