Will Bodybuilding Ever Become an Olympic Sport?
People have been talking for years about the International Olympic Committee (IOC) welcoming bodybuilding into the Summer Olympics as an actual Olympic sport. Rumors flew around the 2020 Tokyo games, but nothing ever came of them.
It makes you wonder if it will ever actually happen.
The push for this started way back in 1970 with a petition by the legendary Ben Weider, but here we are decades later with no real progress. So, will bodybuilding ever become an Olympic sport? As a certified strength coach and sports nutritionist, I’ve followed this debate closely. Here’s my take on the major hurdles and whether we’ll ever see a Bodybuilding Olympics.
Table of contents
- Let’s Tackle the Elephant in the Room: Steroids
- We Already Have Our Own Bodybuilding Olympics (Kinda)
- Olympic Sport: Are Bodybuilders Athletes?
- Subjective Judging Doesn’t Mix Well with an Olympic Sport
- The Public Does Not Support Bodybuilding
- Bodybuilding Olympics? It Will Never Happen as an Olympic Sport
- FAQs About Bodybuilding as an Olympic Sport
Key Takeaways
- Steroids are the biggest barrier. The widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs in professional bodybuilding directly conflicts with the strict anti-doping policies of the Olympic Games.
- Bodybuilding already has a global stage. The Mr. Olympia competition features athletes from all over the world and is considered the pinnacle of the sport, much like the Olympics are for other sports.
- Subjective judging is a poor fit. Unlike sports with clear metrics like time or distance, bodybuilding is judged subjectively, which can lead to controversy that the IOC generally avoids.
- It’s not officially recognized as a “sport” by the IOC. To be considered, bodybuilding’s international federation (the IFBB) would need full, unconditional recognition from the IOC, which it currently lacks.
Let’s Tackle the Elephant in the Room: Steroids
We have to be honest. The biggest barrier between bodybuilding and the Olympics is performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). The Olympic Games operate under the strict guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). An analysis from 2022 showed that out of all sports, bodybuilding had one of the highest percentages of positive tests, a major red flag for the IOC.
Could any of today’s top professional bodybuilders pass the rigorous, year-round, out-of-competition testing required to compete in the Olympics? It seems highly unlikely. The use of steroids in professional bodybuilding isn’t a secret, it’s an accepted part of reaching the highest level.
From my perspective, this creates a fundamental conflict. The public expects to see the massive, larger-than-life physiques that define modern bodybuilding. A truly “natural” bodybuilding event at the Olympics wouldn’t feature the “mass freaks” that draw crowds, and I’m not sure the audience would tune in for that. It puts the sport in a difficult position that other Olympic sports don’t face in the same way.
We Already Have Our Own Bodybuilding Olympics (Kinda)
While having bodybuilding in the Olympic games would be a huge milestone, the sport already has its own global championship: The Mr. Olympia.
This isn’t just an American competition. The Olympia stage features competitors from all over the world. Recent winners and top contenders have come from Iran (Hadi Choopan), Egypt (Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay), and the UK (James “Flex” Lewis). The event is a true global showdown.
The Mr. Olympia title is the most coveted prize in the sport, and it comes with a significant financial reward. For example, the 2023 Mr. Olympia winner took home $400,000. This is a stark contrast to the Olympics, where the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee awarded athletes $37,500 for a gold medal at the 2022 Winter Games.
In its own way, the Olympia already provides the gold, silver, and bronze medals of the bodybuilding world.
Olympic Sport: Are Bodybuilders Athletes?
This is a debate that always stirs up strong opinions. Are bodybuilders athletes, and is bodybuilding a sport? According to the IOC’s official definition, a sport must have a competitive element and not rely on any single provider for equipment.
While bodybuilders are incredibly disciplined and train for years, the competition itself doesn’t involve traditional athletic feats like running, jumping, or throwing. There is no direct athletic contest on stage. The “work” is done in the gym and kitchen. The final presentation is a display of the results of that work, much like a pageant.
This isn’t to take away from the incredible dedication required. But from the IOC’s perspective, which includes sports like fencing and archery that require immense skill and precision, bodybuilding’s competitive format is an outlier.
Subjective Judging Doesn’t Mix Well with an Olympic Sport
Bodybuilding results are decided by a panel of judges making subjective evaluations. If you think fans get upset about placings at the Arnold Classic, imagine the international outrage if a competitor from one nation loses a close decision for an Olympic medal.
Other judged Olympic sports have tried to make scoring more objective. For example, gymnastics uses a “Code of Points” system where every skill has a set difficulty value, and judges deduct for errors in execution. Figure skating has a similar system.
Bodybuilding lacks this kind of detailed, quantitative framework. Judging is based on ideals of symmetry, muscularity, and conditioning. These criteria are inherently subjective and depend on the opinion of each individual judge. This creates a potential for controversy that the Olympics tries to minimize.
Plus, the Olympics thrives on national pride. If you’re a fan of Big Ramy from Egypt, would you root against an American bodybuilder for the gold medal? It could create complicated loyalties for fans of the sport.
The Public Does Not Support Bodybuilding
Many people who never watch basketball will tune in for the Olympics to cheer for their country. I don’t follow swimming year-round, but I always watch it during the summer games. Bodybuilding doesn’t seem to have that same potential for broad appeal.
There’s a negative public perception tied to the sport. Many find the extreme physiques unappealing or “gross.” The steroid issue is a major factor here. For many, the sport’s dark side, highlighted by tragic stories like those of Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan, overshadows the dedication of the athletes. It’s hard to imagine the general public getting behind the sport, even with a national hero on the stage.
Bodybuilding Olympics? It Will Never Happen as an Olympic Sport
Considering all these factors, from the drug problem to the subjective judging, I don’t believe we will ever see bodybuilding become an Olympic sport. The International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness (IFBB) has been recognized by some Olympic committees in Asia and Pan America, but it does not have the full, unconditional recognition from the IOC required for inclusion.
And personally, I’m okay with that reality. We have a robust global circuit of shows that brings together the world’s best. The Mr. Olympia contest serves perfectly as the “Olympic Games” for bodybuilders. While it would be cool to see the world’s best on that stage, the sport doesn’t need it to thrive.
FAQs About Bodybuilding as an Olympic Sport
Is any form of bodybuilding in the Olympics?
No, traditional bodybuilding is not an Olympic sport. While weightlifting, which tests strength, has been in the Olympics since 1896, bodybuilding, which is judged on aesthetics, has never been included.
What is the closest sport to bodybuilding in the Olympics?
Olympic weightlifting is the most similar sport. Both require immense strength and dedication in the gym. However, weightlifting is scored objectively based on the total weight successfully lifted in the snatch and the clean and jerk, while bodybuilding is scored subjectively on physique.
Has the IOC ever officially considered bodybuilding?
The International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness (IFBB) has sought recognition from the IOC for decades. While it has gained recognition from some regional Olympic councils, it has not yet achieved the full recognition from the main IOC that is a prerequisite for being considered for the Olympic Games.
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