by John Anderson (The Times Herald) and Vic Richards

Promoter abuses are just the tip of the iceberg concerning Richards' displeasure with the sport. Some of it was stirred by the businesses that control magazines, competitions, video, and internet media - the people who have profit at risk. Richards was incorrectly quoted in a magazine concerning his daily calorie intake: he had been asked what was his greatest calorie intake in a single day, and it was reported as his typical daily intake. As a nutritionist, Richards found himself defending himself at every turn after the article appeared. It's a common tactic to assassinate the character of anyone who thinks and speaks independently.

Vic has also been maligned on the internet by fan site operators who try to pass themselves off as Vic himself. They've posted doctored nude photos, and spread both gay rumors and anti-gay slander. This misrepresentation offends Vic. "I'm not gay. And I'm also not a bigot, and I won't tolerate being portrayed as one. I have great respect for my fans, gay and straight." And he has never prostituted himself, nor has he posed nude. "I won't sell myself." Vic suspects some of this manipulation is supported by the promoters and IFBB associates who resent his outspokenness, to kill his credibility with his fans. Bodybuilding photographers, who should know the the bodybuilding business from the inside, have commented on fan sites as if they really were run by Vic.

"I am a big fan of nature and even the wildebeest know if they go through water and a few get taken by alligators, the rest don't go to the water," he continued. "Not the bodybuilder, they keep entering contests, they don't stand up and demand respect. They just keep their mouths shut. It's like a "roach motel", they check in but they never check out.

"This is why I admire Arnold Schwarzenegger so much, because he knew it takes more than flexing muscles in shows to get respect," Richards continues. "Arnold moved on. Unfortunately, we see guys in their 50's and 60's still competing in an endless pursuit of nothing until they break down like winos in the street."

And to that end, Richards said a union could step in. Instead, once a bodybuilder can no longer compete, you never hear of them again. Many have no financial stability because of the lack of money to be made, and many do not have the education or life skills to survive without bodybuilding competitions.

"When a human being compromises the ability to think for themselves, no one in the world will respect that person," Richards said. "But Weider and IFBB sold out by exploiting athletes, they did not pay them properly and said athletes should be seen and not heard from.

"Bodybuilders were not allowed to have any individuality - if you are smart and can articulate, they have no time for you," Richards continued. "People that are dumb and have no self-esteem or respect."

Richards points to professional wrestling, a sport at one time that had less credibility than bodybuilding. But Vince McMahon turned it into a multi-million dollar industry. So it's possible for a business owner who genuinely cares about the sport to win public acceptance and profit along with the athletes.

"As much as I wanted to complete, I couldn't question their authority, to be Mr. Olympia, just having physique is not enough, you have to be a dummy, you have to kiss ass," Richards said. "I am not a follower and I was turned off by this."

Richards said the morals instilled by his family took over and was the reason he walked away from the insanity. But he refused to walk away from training, as he calls the gym his haven, his "holy ground" where he goes to meditate.

Richards wonders what would have happened if the great artists of our time like Michelangelo or Picasso had conformed to what people wanted. They never would have become legends. They would have caved in to expectation and become conformists, their art dying along with their originality.

"When you give someone power to judge you, you give them power over your mind and spirit. And what some of these guys do not realize, their mind and spirit are all they have," Richards said. "I have been discredited by the sport because I stood up for my beliefs, because I won't commit suicide to win a contest that profits everyone but the winner.

"There are a lot of sick individuals in the bodybuilding industry and if more would sacrifice their careers to stand up to them, they would not have to scrape to survive," Richards continued. "So many of them could be living well, instead they are into drug dealing and prostitution. They jeopardize their safety and health to get high and to get on the stage to compete."

Richards explains that many competitions have big posters boasting a grand prize of $10,000. But he said the prizes drop off precipitously and a second or third place winner may not even win back travel expenses. He also said an above-average bodybuilding champion can win $100,000 in one year. But he said you have to spend up to $80,000 a year on growth hormones and drugs. That figure does not include food and living expenses. It's common to win competitions and still be at a financial loss.

"Other than the Olympia and the Arnold classic, the top prize in many contests does not even cover expenses and the eggs one has to eat!" said Richards. "No matter how much you love it, you have to make money for your family, and these guys come out making less than minimum wage."