NABBA IN LITHUANIA

WHAT IS N.A.B.B.A.? DRAWING CONCLUSIONS. WE SHOULD KNOW AT LEAST SOMETHING ABOUT OUR SPORTING HISTORY.

We have already described the detailed history of the N.A.B.B.A. association on numerous occasions in our previous articles. Follow our international website www.wff.lt, where extensive information about the history of world bodybuilding and fitness is available.

Following the death of Oscar Heidenstam, N.A.B.B.A. no longer had a leader capable of providing the organization with a new strategic direction. The organization preserved its traditions and historical heritage, but ceased to pursue ambitious international expansion goals.

Nevertheless, N.A.B.B.A. remains one of the oldest and historically most significant bodybuilding organizations in the world. Since its establishment, it has served as an important alternative to other international bodybuilding structures and has left a lasting mark on the history of the sport.

In 1998, the International Olympic Committee refused to support bodybuilding's aspirations to become an Olympic sport. Furthermore, following the cessation of activities of G.A.I.S.F. (Global Association of International Sports Federations) in 2023, the status of international bodybuilding organizations became even more complicated and less clearly defined.

N.A.B.B.A. IN LITHUANIA. SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL EVENTS

Following the collapse of the socialist system, many people expected a Western miracle. Lithuanian athletes were no exception.

In December 1990, during the “Miss Olympia” event in New York, IFBB President Ben Weider told Edmundas Daubaras that he did not recognize Lithuania's independence and would not admit Lithuanian athletes into the IFBB federation separately from the Soviet Union.

Edmundas Daubaras had to find an independent path. At that time, there was virtually no information available about international bodybuilding organizations, so everything had to be researched and organized independently.

The restored Lithuanian state needed international recognition and support.

With the assistance of Lithuania's Minister of Sport, Algirdas Raslanas, in May 1991 we established the first national bodybuilding organization in Lithuania – the Lithuanian National Bodybuilding Association (LNKA).

Having united the country's best bodybuilders of that time, we participated in the N.A.B.B.A. European Championships in France in May 1991. Natalija Murnikovienė from Klaipėda and Rolandas Bučinskas from Šiauliai became the first historic bodybuilding champions of independent Lithuania.

Soon afterwards, Edmundas Daubaras brought back an official document from London in which N.A.B.B.A. recognized Lithuania's independence and expressed its support for the Lithuanian National Olympic Committee. The document was handed over to LTOK President Artūras Poviliūnas.

With the support of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, we organized N.A.B.B.A. European Championships in Klaipėda, Vilnius, and Palanga in 1996–1998. Edmundas Daubaras was appointed Vice President of the international N.A.B.B.A. association.

Gradually, through our communication with N.A.B.B.A. President Ivan Dunbar, we discovered that in England N.A.B.B.A. was legally registered as a public club. This raised numerous legal and financial questions.

Since 1995, we had been actively developing the activities of the World Fitness Federation (WFF). Support from the Lithuanian state for our events was also growing.

Ministers, prime ministers, and members of the Lithuanian Parliament became chairpersons and members of the organizing committees of our events.

Following the spectacular WFF World Championships held at the Vilnius Congress Palace in 2004 and 2005, the records set at those events remain unsurpassed to this day. The reaction of N.A.B.B.A. leaders in London became increasingly tense.

At that time, the scale of our activities and our international presence clearly exceeded those of N.A.B.B.A.

As tensions increased, in 2005 we decided to leave N.A.B.B.A. and continue on our own independent path.

Our objective was clear – we sought international recognition for bodybuilding and fitness, official government support, and broader opportunities for organizational development. These objectives were not priorities for N.A.B.B.A.

Essentially, this situation remains unchanged to this day.

The position we left within the N.A.B.B.A. organization was subsequently occupied by other representatives of Lithuania.

History is history. It must be known, respected, and lessons must be drawn from it.