I just would like to add that the act of taking steroids to accoplish the goals in which they were intended to acheive (pro status) are so far from having any acceptable moral judgement, that I could not believe that a person based on Bodybuilding accolades alone (and a nice smail and being polite to thier fans) cannot be a justified role model.
Which would be different from say Lee Haney who is a role model in the fact that he does all those things for children and the poor which are acts that are commendable but one has to look at Haney and say , you are a role model cause of your devotion to those in need , not cause you were the most diesel guy in the 80's.
So i guess BB can be role models for other the avenues of life they pursue, but not for BB ..ever..
Too much drug usage which leads to youth/others imitaiting steroid use, destroys there lives, the general disregard for the laws of the country, and destroys the body which God blessed you... too much
I understand your point of view but I think it's somewhat unfair to say bodybuilders can't be rolemodels.
We first have to define the term role model anyway, it seems like anyone in the public spotlight could be a role model because kids want to follow in their footsteps. Charles Barkley for example, I believe he said he knew he wasn't a role model by choice but by trade, kids look up to him even if he just shoots a basketball.
And I think bodybuilders can be enviable rolemodels because of the hardwork and dedication bodybuilding entails. The downside of the profession relates to illegal drug usage but I don't think that corales one's role model status. You can bodybuild and not take gear.
Anyway, this is taking away from Richard's thread but I think bodybuilders can be role models, even if it's just for the simple fact they bodybuild, regardless of their gear usage or other activities.
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I also want to add that we're basing one's role model status on the legality of a substance. Can a bodybuilder be a role model if he receives his gear from an anti-aging clinic? Where do we draw the line? Or is it the simply the fact that it's classified as an illegal substance and that's why they bodybuilders can't be role models. What if an IFBB Pro professes the dangers of gear abuse?
Also how does one person's private use endorse the use for others? Many bodybuilders, including Sergio Olivia, stated they wouldn't endorse or recommend gear use to anyone, yet his dedication and hardwork are all enviable qualities. I'd like to personally classify him as a role model.
Here's Segio Olivia's response on improper gear use...
Yes that's what it is. But they're making a double mistake. When you take steroids you have to train even harder... otherwise the excess weight later turns into fat. If you train hard, eat well with quality protein, and take a good vitamin and mineral, then you can achieve a good physique. And a good physique comes from about 45% of your genes, whereas the rest is from training. So, if you're going to be something, then you're going to be something. If you're not, then you're not. But with all those steroids, you're going to be one of the group... you're not going to be different. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone... to my friends or any of my family.
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