THE BOOK ENLARGED

60 Years of the “Amber Prix”

A Unique Historical Book on the Sport

Before presenting a comprehensive account of the “Amber Prix”, one of the world's oldest traditional international bodybuilding and fitness events, it is essential to briefly review the history of bodybuilding as an officially recognized sport. Only by placing the tournament within its broader historical context can its significance in the development of international bodybuilding be fully understood.

It must be acknowledged that many bodybuilders today have only a limited knowledge of their sport's history and are often unfamiliar with the numerous international bodybuilding organizations that exist today.

To date, no comprehensive study has been published anywhere in the world that systematically traces the development of competitive bodybuilding from its official recognition to the present day. This section of the book therefore serves not only as an important historical source but also as the first attempt to present the history of competitive bodybuilding from an international perspective in a systematic manner.

The historical survey covers the principal stages in the development of competitive bodybuilding:

• the origins of officially recognized competitive bodybuilding (FIHC, 1947–1969);
• the continuation of officially recognized competitive bodybuilding (IFBB, 1971–1998);
• the emergence of competitive bodybuilding in the socialist world (FIHC, 1959);
• the emergence of competitive bodybuilding in the USSR (FIHC, 1963);
• the emergence of competitive bodybuilding in Lithuania (1965);
• the beginnings of competitive bodybuilding in Klaipėda (1967).

Preface

In recent years, a number of books have been published about distinguished athletes and leaders of national bodybuilding federations. One such publication, issued in the Russian Federation, was devoted to former bodybuilder and later President of the Russian Bodybuilding Federation, Vladimir Dubinin. However, works of this kind often omit significant historical facts for various reasons.

For example, after his defeat at the international “Georg Tenno Memorial” Tournament in 1974, Vladimir Dubinin effectively withdrew from bodybuilding for almost thirteen years, severing his active ties with the bodybuilding community. This period proved to be one of the most significant in the history of the sport. It was not until 1986, following repeated invitations from Dr. Edmundas Daubaras, that he returned to the bodybuilding scene by attending the international Amber Prix tournament in Klaipėda, Lithuanian SSR.

At that time, bodybuilding in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was headed by Vladimir Shubov of Moscow. Consequently, Dubinin attended the tournament primarily as an honorary guest. Until 1987, his activities remained limited to his athletic career and work at his local sports club; he played no role in the organization or administration of bodybuilding within the USSR.

This naturally raises an important question: how objectively can a historical period be described by someone who did not personally participate in its events? The same problem can be observed in many other publications on bodybuilding history, where assumptions, inaccuracies, and claims unsupported by documentary evidence are often presented as fact.

During the second half of the twentieth century, the world was divided into two political blocs—the Western (capitalist) world and the Eastern (socialist) world. This division was reflected in sport, including bodybuilding.

The history of the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) was regularly documented in the federation's own publications. Naturally, these publications reflected primarily the organization's own interpretation of the development of world bodybuilding. In contrast, the history of bodybuilding in the socialist countries received little scholarly attention and was rarely documented. Between 1973 and 1987, bodybuilding was politically restricted in many socialist states and completely banned in some of them.

Nearly four decades after the collapse of the socialist system, the history of bodybuilding during that era remains surrounded by myths and legends. Former athletes frequently describe themselves as "USSR champions," while some club officials portray themselves as the principal architects of Soviet bodybuilding. History, however, demands documentary evidence, careful analysis, and objective evaluation rather than personal recollections or legend.

One of the most important witnesses to—and active participants in—the history of bodybuilding in both the socialist and Western worlds was Dr. Edmundas Daubaras. Circumstances led him to graduate twice from Vilnius State University, earning degrees in Germanic Philology and Law. At that time, he was arguably the only representative of Soviet bodybuilding fluent in several foreign languages. This enabled him to establish close personal relationships with the leading figures of international bodybuilding, including IFBB President Ben Weider (Canada), WABBA (World Amateur Body Building Association) President Serge Nubret (France), and NABBA (National Amateur Body-Builders' Association) Chairman Oscar Heidenstam (United Kingdom).

These international contacts made it possible to assemble a unique archive of official documents, correspondence, photographs, and eyewitness accounts, much of which is published in this book for the first time.

History usually remembers outstanding athletes and their victories. Yet every sport is built first and foremost by organizers, federation officials, coaches, judges, journalists, publishers, and countless enthusiasts. They establish clubs and federations, organize competitions, develop international cooperation, and ensure that sporting achievements become known to the wider public. Without their dedication over many years, there would be neither great champions nor lasting sporting traditions.

This book is intended not only to commemorate the sixty-year history of the “Amber Prix”. It also seeks to reconstruct the development of competitive bodybuilding on the basis of documentary evidence, to reveal lesser-known historical facts, and to recognize the individuals whose dedication enabled the sport to develop into an internationally respected movement.

More information is on international site www.wff.lt