60 YEARS WE ARE CREATING WORLD SPORT HISTORY.

CHAIRMEN INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION VISITED PRESIDENT REPUBLIC LITHUANIA.

On January 22, 2026 International Chairmen of the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. (World Fitness Federation, World Bodybuilding Federation)  visited historic President of the Republic Lithuania Professor Dr. VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS.

At the several hours lasting discussion with Professor Dr. VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS took part President of the International W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. federation DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS, for social work awarded with Honour Diploma of the International U.N.E.S.C.O. organization President of the Lithuania Sport Fitness Federation DARIUS DAUBARAS, representing „Rotary“ Club of the Lithuanian Republic Docent of the Klaipeda University historic VIDIMANTAS RAUDYS.

BLOCKADE TELEGRAMMS

In 2015 communication with Professor Dr. VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS spoke about 1990 possibilities to ruin the U.S.S.R. economic Lithuania blockade. At taht time knowing about the difficulties with goods and products bodybuilders of German Democratic Republic (D.D.R.) proposed their help to the Lithuanian Republic. DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS received their two telegrams. Germans suggested to address the Governmemt of Lithuania as nobody had so much money at that time. DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS called to the Government and spoke with the Prime Minister KAZIMIERA PRUNSKIENE. Then she refused the help of the D.D.R. businessmen and bodybuilders. Hearing this Professor Dr. VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS asked to give him those telegramms. The archieves of the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. International are really rich and big. Only now the telegramms were found. During the 2026 visit to the President Republic Lithuania Professor Dr. VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS presented him the telegramms.

INTERNATIONAL HONORABLE AWARD.

No one other President of the Republic Lithuania is so much historically connected with International Bodybuilding sport but Professor Dr. VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS. During the meeting with Professor International W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. President DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS awarded Dr. VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS with the Highest International Honour Award – the „International Honour Gold Medal“.

Detailed historic article is on the way. Follow International Page www.wff.lt

WORLD BODYBUILDING ENCYCLOPEDIA.

1970 – 1980 BEST U.S.S.R. BODYBUILDERS.

BEGINNING.

Working on the „World Bodybuilding Encyclopedia“ («Энциклопедией всемирного культуризма», „Pasaulinė kultūrizmo enciklopedija“) we are analysing lots of historic happenings and facts. Today we can list five bodybuilders of the U.S.S.R. who were most famous since 1970 until 1980. That were representing famous „Vilnius Bodybuilding School“ LEONAS PIVORIUNAS (his trainer was CESLAV TAMULEVIC, 1946 - 2021), VLADIMIR DUBININ (Владимир Дубинин, R.S.F.S.R., Leningrad, was training himself), representing „Vilnius Bodybuilding School“ PRANAS MURAUSKAS ((his trainer was CESLAV TAMULEVIC) and two Estonians - OLEV ANNUS and INDREK OTSUS. Both were trained by INNAR MARDO (1945 – 2002).

The Article will be continued and we will speak about each of the mentioned above Athletes. Follow International Page www.wff.lt

WORLD‘S BEST PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES.

World Fitness Federation (W.F.F. - International)
World Bodybuilding Federation (W.B.B.F. - International)
PRO UNIVERSE
Over All Winners
(2010-2025)

MEN
Year, Competitors Name, Country.

2025 MICKAEL LOUVEL, France

2024 RAHUL JOSHI, India

2023 MAROSZ KANASZ, Slovakia

2022 DMITRIJ ANTONOV, Russia

2021 ROMAN POLSHIN, Estonia

2020 MICHAIL MALEK, Russia

2019 NIKOLAJ VOROBJOV, Russia

2018 RAHUL JOSHI, India
2017 JOHN LESLIE, South Africa
2016 MAROS KANASZ, Slovakia
2015 ANDREJ RUMIANCEV, Estonia
2014 ANDRZEJ RAK, Poland
2013 ANDRZEJ BRZEZINSKI, Poland
2012 JEVGENIJ KLOCKOV, Russia
2011 ALI IMANI, Iran
2010 ALEKSANDR SEVCOV, Estonia

WOMEN
Year, Competitors Name, Country.

2025 JELENA IVANOVA, Latvia

2024 SVETLANA PUGACHEVA, Russia

2023 ANNA SOBOLEWSKA KUCHARSKA, Poland

2022 MARIA SIVKOVA, Russia

2021 HANNA SKYTTA, Finland

2020 MARINA VLASOVA, Russia

2019 HANNA SKYTTA, Finland

2018 ASTA BUTKUTE, Lithuania
2017 SVETLANA PUGACHEVA, Russia
2016 YAMILA TOLEDO, Argentina
2015 JULIJA GLAZYCEVA, Russia
2014 VALENTINA KOZLOVSKAJA, Belarus
2013 DALVANIZA AQUINO, Brazil
2012 JOLANTA MILERIUTE, Lithuania
2011 CRECKY CHAVES, Brazil
2010 LIUDMILA KOLESNIKOVA, Russia

W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Secretary International Ugne Raudyte Daubariene

INFORMATION.
More detailed information on the Global International Site www.wff.lt, see forum topics.

60 Years of Lithuanian Bodybuilding: What Has Truly Become History?

The year 2025 marked the 60th anniversary of organized bodybuilding in Lithuania. This milestone provides a unique opportunity to look back on the development of the sport not through emotions or personal memories, but from a historical perspective.

Over six decades, Lithuanian bodybuilding has experienced periods of rapid growth, complete prohibition during the Soviet era, underground activity, the challenges of restoring international recognition after the country's independence, and ultimately worldwide recognition. These historical stages have already been described in numerous publications. This time, however, it is worth asking a different question.

After sixty years, which events have genuinely become milestones in the history of Lithuanian bodybuilding? Which competitions have left a lasting mark rather than remaining merely important sporting events of their time? Which achievements have contributed to promoting Lithuania around the world, and which have gradually faded into history?

Time itself usually provides the answer.

The "Amber Prix" Phenomenon

The first event that deserves mention is the International "Amber Prix" Tournament, first organized in Klaipėda in 1967.

Nearly six decades have passed. Political systems have changed, federations have been established and dissolved, competition rules have evolved, and several generations of athletes have come and gone. Yet the tournament has remained.

Today, the Amber Prix is not only Lithuania's oldest bodybuilding competition but also one of the oldest continuously organized traditional bodybuilding tournaments in the world.

Over the years, thousands of athletes from dozens of countries have competed on its stage. For many of them, the Amber Prix became the gateway to international bodybuilding, while for Lithuania it became an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to organize world-class sporting events.

Its greatest strength has been continuity. In historical terms, continuity is one of the most important measures of significance.

The "Komsomol Cup" – A Competition of Its Era

Another important chapter began in 1979 with the introduction of the Komsomol Cup in Kaunas.

During the Soviet period, it was among the most prestigious bodybuilding competitions held in Lithuania. The strongest athletes of the time competed there, and the event enjoyed considerable recognition within the Soviet sports system.

History, however, judges more than popularity during a particular period. Several decades later, one naturally asks how many people still remember the winners, their achievements, or the competition's influence on international bodybuilding. Time inevitably distinguishes between events that become enduring historical landmarks and those that remain symbols of a particular era.

Independence Opens the Door to the World

The restoration of Lithuania's independence created entirely new opportunities.

In 1996, 1997, and 1998, Lithuania hosted government-supported NABBA European Championships in Klaipėda, Vilnius, and Palanga, followed by the WFF World Championship in 1998.

These were the first international bodybuilding events of such scale organized in independent Lithuania.

The competitions received extensive coverage in the country's largest newspapers, including Respublika and Lietuvos Rytas. Reports were broadcast by Lithuanian National Television, LNK Television, and Eurosport, while special magazines were published and distributed both in Lithuania and abroad.

It was during this period that Lithuania established its reputation as a capable organizer of major international bodybuilding championships.

World Championships That Changed Perceptions

Lithuanian bodybuilding reached an even higher level between 2004 and 2008, when Vilnius hosted the WFF-WBBF Amateur and Professional World Championships, supported by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

These championships became historic not only because of their size but also because of their innovations.

In 2004, for the first time in bodybuilding history, a World Championship was broadcast live over the Internet worldwide. Today such broadcasts are commonplace, but at that time this represented a remarkable technological breakthrough.

The 2005 World Championship attracted 742 athletes, making it one of the largest bodybuilding championships ever organized.

Another unique feature was the presentation of genuine diamonds to the overall champions—a distinction virtually unprecedented in the history of international bodybuilding.

Each championship was accompanied by the publication of 10,000 full-color magazines and 3,000 DVD documentaries, distributed free of charge during international competitions across many countries. This became an effective long-term effort to promote Lithuania internationally.

Anniversary “Amber Prix” Tournaments

Special recognition should also be given to the anniversary editions of the Amber Prix.

The 40th International “Amber Prix” became an event of national significance. It received financial support from the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, while the Parliament allocated dedicated funding through the national budget.

Lithuanian National Television produced a special documentary report.

Professor Alfred Gerstl, President of the Austrian Parliament, sent to Klaipėda an original collection of photographs of his former student, Arnold Schwarzenegger, together with a documentary film about Schwarzenegger's path to international fame. The exhibition was presented during the tournament, while the documentary was shown before the competitions began.

A trilingual commemorative magazine and a documentary DVD were subsequently presented at numerous international bodybuilding events around the world. Articles about the tournament appeared in sports publications in England, Austria, Argentina, and Russia.

The 50th International “Amber Prix” received equally remarkable international attention.

One of its greatest achievements was a feature broadcast by the global television network CNN, introducing Lithuanian bodybuilding to millions of viewers worldwide—an exceptional accomplishment for any sporting event organized in Lithuania.

Is the Title "World Championship" Enough?

In recent years, Lithuania has continued to host international bodybuilding competitions.

For example, an IFBB World Championship was organized in Kėdainiai. However, it received virtually no coverage in the national press or on television, attracted little public attention, and generated almost no lasting documentary record.

This observation is not intended to diminish the sporting value of that championship. Rather, it raises an important historical question:

Is the official title of "World Championship" alone sufficient to make an event historically significant?

Probably not.

History remembers far more than official titles.

It remembers events that become visible to society, receive international recognition, leave documentary evidence, are reported by the media, preserved in books and films, and continue to be remembered decades later.

Looking Toward the Future

In 2027, Klaipėda will host the 60th International “Amber Prix” Tournament.

This will be much more than another annual competition.

It will celebrate sixty consecutive years of uninterrupted history.

The 2026 tournament attracted nearly 300 athletes from ten countries, demonstrating that the event continues to enjoy strong international recognition.

A comprehensive 400-page history of the “Amber Prix” is currently being prepared in Lithuanian, English, and Russian. The publication will include archival documents, rare photographs, historical articles, personal recollections, and previously unpublished materials collected over six decades.

Former champions, sports veterans, international federation officials, public figures, and representatives of the highest institutions of the Republic of Lithuania are expected to attend the anniversary celebration.

It will provide an appropriate opportunity to honor everyone whose dedication has contributed to the history of Lithuanian bodybuilding.

Conclusions

Sixty years is a sufficient period to evaluate Lithuanian bodybuilding objectively.

The historical significance of any sporting event is determined not merely by its official status, the federation under which it was organized, or the number of participants. Its true value is measured by continuity, international recognition, public visibility, documentary legacy, and its ability to remain part of collective memory.

During the past six decades, Lithuania has hosted hundreds of bodybuilding competitions. Most were important to their participants and meaningful in their own time. Yet only a small number have become historical landmarks that transcend sport itself.

Such events strengthen a nation's sporting prestige, shape its international reputation, and become an enduring part of its cultural heritage.

For this reason, the upcoming 60th International “Amber Prix” Tournament represents much more than another bodybuilding competition. It symbolizes the entire history of Lithuanian bodybuilding and demonstrates that lasting achievements are built not upon isolated victories but upon decades of dedicated work, continuity of tradition, international cooperation, and respect for history.

Perhaps this is the most important lesson learned from sixty years of Lithuanian bodybuilding: history is not created by titles alone, but by achievements that withstand the test of time and become part of a nation's lasting sporting heritage.

More information is on international site www.wff.lt

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