I didn't know this,
Padilla Interview:
[ Q ] What would be the low-light or the worst experience of your career?
The 75' Universe when filming Pumping Iron after I had trained all summer and was promised by the IFBB that I would represent the Light-Weight Champion of the World because I had won the USA that year.
We flew all the way to South Africa and did the photo shoots. I got to see Arnold, Louie and the rest of the guys at this time. It was all understood that Robbie would be the Middle-Weight, Mike Katz and Ken Waller would both pose down for the Heavy-Weight in South Africa, and I would be the Light-Weight.
Evidently they decided to have 2 Heavy-Weights and a Middle-Weight and to my surprise bumped me the morning of the show. Of course I was devastated because I was ready for the show, I had a really good chance of winning the Light-Weight championship of the World.
After being denied, I decided to go on Portugal’s team. It was funny, I would never forget, Oscar State said to me, “I thought you were on America’s team.” I said no, America doesn’t want me and Portugal didn’t have a lightweight on their team so why can’t I compete. My Mom was born in Spain and my Dad in Puerto Rico, they had to go by Portugal somewhere along the line.
Oscar’s statement to me was that so crazy ‘I gotta let you in‘. So they let me in and unfortunately for me I was on stage looking magnificent and I was in the final round, there was a protest which led to me being disqualified. The only conclusion I came to was because it was an embarrassment to the IFBB, how are you going to explain to everyone if Danny wins for Portugal.
After seeing me, the other countries I think were afraid of me so it as a good excuse to protest and get them to throw me out and that is what happened. That was how I ended up in the middle of South Africa talking to Arnold during Pumping Iron, seemingly appearing out of know where on the tape. He had come up to me and asked if I was ok, I said yeah and we just started talking about Franco and Ed Corney doing their routines.
I was initially in a lot of Pumping Iron and was taking out of it I guess, because of what happened. I was under the impression that Pumping Iron would have shown what I had gone through because it was filmed. But I don't think the IFBB wanted it to be seen because it was kind of embarrassing. I mean the IFBB is a great organization but again, how do you explain what happened to Dan Padilla – life goes on you know.
from:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson23.htm
