1978

The 1978 "Amber Prix" Tournament – A Part of World Sports History Forgotten Truths

The 1978 Amber Prix International ("Amber Prix", "Янтарный приз"), held in Klaipėda, occupies a unique place not only in the history of Lithuanian bodybuilding but also in the history of bodybuilding throughout the Eastern Bloc. The event took place at a time when bodybuilding had been officially banned in the U.S.S.R. since 1973, and both athletes and organizers were subjected to continuous administrative pressure.

Despite these restrictions, the tournament's organizer, Dr. Edmundas Daubaras, chose not to accept the ban but to challenge it through active initiatives. In 1977, when Soviet authorities intensified measures against bodybuilding, most organizers throughout the U.S.S.R. withdrew from any public efforts to defend the sport. Dr. Daubaras remained one of the very few who openly continued this struggle.

The 1977 Amber Prix tournament became a rehearsal for an even more ambitious undertaking. Although the competition lacked official governmental approval, the event in Klaipėda attracted a full audience, demonstrating that bodybuilding had retained strong public support despite the official prohibition.

Preparing for the 1978 tournament, Dr. Daubaras drafted a petition defending bodybuilding and personally delivered it in Moscow to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the Supreme Soviet of the U.S.S.R., the Council of Ministers of the U.S.S.R., and the editorial offices of the national newspapers Pravda and Izvestia. The purpose of the petition was to defend bodybuilding and to create conditions under which competitions could once again be organized.

Following these efforts, the 1978 Amber Prix tournament was held in Klaipėda. Dr. Daubaras went even further by presenting the event under the symbolism of the U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Championships. Such a decision involved considerable risk, since no official bodybuilding championships were being organized in the Soviet Union at that time.

A Unique Competition Stage

An analysis of photographs from bodybuilding competitions held throughout the Soviet Union between 1965 and 1978 shows that the stage design of the 1978 Amber Prix was unmatched in both scale and artistic execution.

At the center of the stage stood a monumental decoration depicting three-time Mr. Olympia Frank Zane against the outline of the map of the Soviet Union, accompanied by the inscription "U.S.S.R. Championship." Along both sides of the stage stood the flags of all fifteen Soviet republics. The medals, diplomas, and trophies also bore the inscription "U.S.S.R. Championship."

No previous bodybuilding competition in the Soviet Union had displayed such symbolism or such an ambitious stage presentation.

Organized Without Government Support

The tournament received neither government funding nor commercial sponsorship.

The entire organizational effort rested on Dr. Edmundas Daubaras, members of his family, and athletes from his sports club. Visiting competitors were accommodated at the Railway Workers' Pioneer Camp in Giruliai before the beginning of the summer season.

The enormous stage backdrop was sewn by Dr. Daubaras' mother-in-law, while Belarusian artist Oleg Isaev created its artistic design according to Dr. Daubaras' concept. The trophies were secretly manufactured after working hours by Klaipėda bodybuilder Oleg Serov, while the medals and diplomas were produced by employees of the Klaipėda Art Combine. Most organizational expenses were paid personally by Dr. Daubaras.

International Recognition

In 2011, during an official reception at the Vatican, Dr. Edmundas Daubaras, President of the World W.F.F.–W.B.B.F. Federation, presented the federation's activities to representatives of the Holy See.

During his meeting with Cardinal Jozef Tomko, the discussion focused on the history of bodybuilding under Soviet rule. Dr. Daubaras' efforts to defend the banned sport were recognized as a significant example of civic resistance to the restrictions imposed by the communist regime.

In recognition of his contribution to the development of health promotion and professional sport, Dr. Daubaras was awarded the Official Medal of the Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI.

Conclusions

The 1978 Amber Prix tournament represented far more than a sporting competition. It became a public demonstration that the bodybuilding movement in the Soviet Union had survived despite its official prohibition.

The event proved that, even under conditions of centralized political control, it was possible to organize an international-level competition based on personal initiative, voluntary work, and the solidarity of the bodybuilding community.

From a historical perspective, the tournament marks one of the earliest successful public attempts to restore bodybuilding to organized sporting life in the Soviet Union. Its organizational scale, symbolic significance, and international character justify recognizing the 1978 Amber Prix as an important event in the history of world bodybuilding.

Further research based on archival documents, contemporary press sources, and international comparative studies may provide an even more comprehensive assessment of the tournament's place in twentieth-century sports history.

More information is on international site www.wff.lt