I'm new to this board but the reason I'm here is to set the record straight about a few things. A friend of mine, who's a member, mentioned this post so I thought I would provide some facts. I met Sergio Oliva (not Olivia) in 1974 at Chicago Health Club. He was, as he would say, "unbelievable." There was no doubting this. He had a wasp waist that connected to the most perfect chest and shoulders. Not to mention his huge arms. When you first meet him your jaw drops and all you can do is stare in disbelief at this human sculpture of perfection.
Sergio never ever took Synthol and I can guarantee he never knew what that crap was. He never used GH either. I know this first hand and I also know everything he took.
Sergio defected to the US from through the Cuban Olympic Team in the 60s. He was a Lt. in Batista's army. The scar on his right bicep is from a shotgun blast caused by a rebel soldier. He was told he would never use that arm again but it's actually his bigger arm. The other arm has a better shape. This was the first time he was shot. The second time was in 1986 by his wife Arlene.
He can never return to Cuba or he would be jailed. He couldn't even attend his mother's funeral.
After his move to Chicago he later became a Chicago Cop (through political connections) after a short stint as a Tailor. At the time he wanted to become a cop, there was an age requirement and he was too old so he had to come up with a birth certificate to show he was younger. His fake birth certificate made him 10 years younger. His bodybuilding age was always 10 years younger. I don't believe his birthday was on the 4th of July but was just an easy date for him to remember. Sergio is actually close to 70 + or - a year or two.
Sergio is the cousin of famous baseball player Tony Oliva but they never had a relationship.
After I moved back to Illinois from Arizona in 1985 I trained at Oliva's Power and Beauty Gym. In 1986 wife Arlene shot him just below the liver with a .38 during a domestic dispute. Sergio contracted pneumonia in the hospital and they had to cut through his lat muscle. This is one of the main reasons he couldn't make a comeback since the lat atrophied and hung like a boob. He and Arlene reconciled for a while and had their daughter. A short time after his return to training I became his training partner and he mentioned that Arlene was going to be gone soon for good and asked me to manage his club. Soon after that he and Arlene did split for good.
We became close friends and I handled all of the gym business, most of his personal business and my wife was his accountant.
Sergio has grown up kids from his first marriage but he wasn't close to them. He's retired from the Police Department now and lives with his daughter Julia and son Sergio JR. in Chicago.
Sergio's photo above was taken around 2000 and the guy next to him in the photo is his long time friend Jack who lives in Florida. Sergio has had just about every joint replaced so he really can't train heavy or he'll destroy the replacement joints. I was recently told I need shoulder replacement but I'm going to wait since the doctor said I would have to give up training the way I'm accustomed to. Thanks to all the injectable Testosterone.
I hope this information clears up some of the rumors. I do agree that Sergio is one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time and truly genetically gifted. If you have any questions please post them and I'll come back to check.
