WORLD BODYBUILDING ENCYCLOPEDIA.

UNIQUE HAPPENING IN WORLD SPORT HISTORY.

OFFICIAL VISIT TO VATICAN.

Working at the „World Bodybuilding Encyclopedia“ we would like to underline the unique happening in the World‘s sport history. That was the Official Visit of the President of the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. International federation DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS to Vatican.

HOW VISIT TO VATICAN STARTED.

Developing International sport in the beginning of April, 2011 International President W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS visited Poland, Germany, France, Monaco, Italy, Slovakia. Being in Monaco DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS received a call from Italy informing that the Official Visit to Vatican is settled. The way towards Italy started. Right before the visit to Vatican the meeting with the Vatican representative in Italy was organized.

We will publishe a thorough article in parts. Follow the International Site  www.wff.lt   - much information, documents and pictures are already published there.

WORLD BODYBUILDING HISTORY.

1981. SOCIALIST WORLD BODYBUILDING NEWS.

In 1981 bodybuilding was still prohibited in the Socialist countries. Political powers controlled illegal bodybuilding through the formal „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation“ («Федерация культуризма С.С.С.Р.») which was reset at the „U.S.S.R. Weightlifting Federation“ («Федерация тяжёлой атлетики С.С.С.Р.») in 1979. That was based on the old F.I.H.C. (F.H.C., „Federation Internationale Halterophile”) federation traditions.

The year of 1981 started with the traditional „Amber Prix International“ („Gintarinis prizas“, «Янтарный приз», 1968 – 2023) contest in Klaipeda (Lithuanian SSR). Since 1978 this contest was accepted as the „Unofficial U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Championship“ («неофициальный Чемпионат С.С.С.Р. по культуризму»). We should underline that the possibility of the public competitions in the U.S.S.R. was got only after the victorial visit of DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS to Moscow. Then he wrote and personally brought the bodybuilding defending petition to the highest U.S.S.R. political powers in Moscow and received permittion to organize bodybuilding contests. The category winners of the 1981 „Amber Prix International“ were  EUGENE GORELIK (Евгений Горелик, Lithuanian SSR), INDREK OTSUS (Estonian SSR), SAULIUS MISEVICIUS (Lithuanian SSR) and OLEV ANNUS (Estonian SSR). The Over All Winner was SAULIUS MISEVICIUS. There were two teams of the Estonian SSR at the competition. One was of the National Bodybuilding Federation of the Estonian SSR led by OLEV ANNUS and brothers ARRO. Another one was of INNAR MARDO. Before the contest the Secretary of the formal „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation“ ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS instructed the International Judges not to alow OLEV ANNUS to win the Over All Champion‘s title again. The „U.S.S.R. Weightlifting Federation“ knew that OLEV ANNUS plans to emigrante from the U.S.S.R. to Finland. That was a terrible action of him against the Communist regime. How the Over All U.S.S.R. bodybuilding champion can do this? So OLEV ANNUS lost the title. The head Judge of the 1981 „Amber Prix International“ was a friend of OLEV ANNUS. Several days after the competition he canceled the results of „Amber Prix International“  and in official letter asked the Chairman of the formal „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation“ ROMAN MOROZ (Роман Мороз) to aprove his decission. ROMAN MOROZ was against the decission and the results of the contest remained unchanged. At the saame time OLEV ANNUS wrote letters to the Socialist press saying about bad judging and explaining that the results of the 1981 „Amber Prix International“ were canceled.

We have no information about 1981 intriques in the National Bodybuilding Federation of the Estonian SSR. In 1979 after the quarell OLEV ANNUS and brothers ARRO overturned INNAR MARDO (Иннар Мардо, 1946 – 2002) and took the leadership in the federation. Then ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS was supporting the replacing of INNAR MARDO. INNAR MARDO popularity among U.S.S.R. bodybuilders and the results he achieved at the contests in the Socuialist countries made mad ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS. In 1981 the „Georg Tenno Memorial“ («Мемориал Георга Тенно», 1971 - 1989) was organized in „Tallinn Olympic Pirita Centre“ (Талинский олимпийский центр Пирита») by INNAR MARDO without the National Bodybuilding Federation of the Estonian SSR. At that time the director of this centre was Lithuanian PRANAS MICKEVICIUS. In 1981 the above mentioned PRANAS MICKEVICIUS overturned OLEV ANNUS and brothers ARRO and took the leadership in the National Bodybuilding Federation of the Estonian SSR.   

In 1981 a meeting of the formal „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation“ («Всесоюзная комиссия атлетической гимнастики») was held in Moscow (R.S.F.S.R.). Bodybuilding was still prohibited but a number of public competitions were held in Lithuanian SSR and in the Estonian SSR. Those contests were organized with the political background. For example it was the „Comsomol Cup“ („Komjaunimo taurė», «Кубок комсомола») in Kaunas (Lithuanian SSR). As the activities of the  „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation“ were only formal, it was rulled by the Chairman and former R.S.F.S.R. weightlifter ROMAN MOROZ and secretary ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS. As ROMAN MOROZ was fare away from bodybuilding sport in fact the real Chairman was ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS. The meeting in Moscow made no important decisions. Only several statistic persons were changed. Among new statistic persons was one of the U.S.S.R. bodybuilding pioneers weightlifter GENADIJ BALDIN (Геннадий Балдин). ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS was inviting DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS to join his work. The above mentioned meeting spoke about OLEV ANNUS letters to the Socialist Sport Press and accused him about this. The „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation“ prohibited OLEV ANNUS to participate at any U.S.S.R. bodybuilding competitions.
in 1981 at the International competition „Trener“ (Czechoslovakian SSR) only Estonian INDREK OTSUS represented the U.S.S.R.. He bacema the Over All Winner again.

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

WORLD BODYBUILDING ENCYCLOPEDIA.

UNIQUE HAPPENING IN WORLD SPORT HISTORY.

OFFICIAL VISIT TO VATICAN.

Working at the „World Bodybuilding Encyclopedia“ we would like to underline the unique happening in the World‘s sport history. That was the Official Visit of the President of the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. International federation DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS to Vatican. We will publishe a thorough article in parts. Follow the International Site  www.wff.lt   - much information, documents and pictures are already published there.

World sport history. 2001 WFF World Championship in Zwickau: The International Fitness Scene in One Place.

From November 23–25, 2001, the WFF World Championship was held in the German city of Zwickau. It was one of the important international fitness events of that period, bringing together athletes from various countries. In the same year, the WFF European Championship was held in Tallinn, Estonia, while the World Championships moved to Germany.

This championship was also significant in the broader history of the WFF. The World Fitness Federation was established in 1995. At that time, it was led by two presidents: Dr. Edmundas Daubaras represented the “Eastern” countries, while Klaus P. J. Hoffmann represented the “Western” countries. After Hoffmann withdrew from WFF activities in 2003, Dr. Edmundas Daubaras remained the sole head of the international federation.

A Broad Competition Programme

The championship programme covered more than one specific fitness discipline. The official results include categories such as “Mr. Fitness Juniors,” “Mr. Junior Performance,” “Mr. Fitness,” “Mr. Extreme Fitness,” “Mr. Athletic Fitness Over 30 Years,” as well as the women’s “Miss Fitness,” “Miss Athletic Fitness,” and “Miss Performance Fitness Over 30 Years” categories. In addition to individual events, pairs competitions were also organised.

This structure shows that the championship sought to accommodate different groups of athletes. Younger participants had their own categories, separate events were intended for athletes over 30, while in some categories the emphasis was placed not only on an athlete’s individual physique and preparation but also on the overall stage performance.

As a result, the championship in Zwickau was more than a single standard individual fitness competition. It was a multi-discipline event in which athletes could compete according to different criteria and in different age or performance groups.

Junior Competitions

One part of the championship was dedicated to younger athletes. The official list for the “Mr. Fitness Juniors” category contains seven participants. First place went to Germany’s Patryk Wieczorek, second place to Lithuania’s Vladimir Petrov, and third place to Tobias Schasten of Germany. The results table also lists the points awarded by the judges and the final rankings.

The presence of junior categories at the World Championship was significant because the WFF competition system was not limited to experienced adult athletes. Younger competitors could also participate in an international championship and compete against athletes from other countries in their age group.

International competition was also evident in the women’s junior events. In the “Miss Junior Fitness” category, the first two places were taken by Lithuanian representatives Jelena Marchenko and Eglė Barisevičiūtė, while third place went to Latvia’s Anita Nitecka.

Thus, the junior section formed a separate and important part of the overall championship programme, aiming to showcase not only the current leaders of the sport but also the younger generation of athletes.

Diversity of Adult Categories

Competition among adult athletes was even broader. The men’s programme included various categories, among them “Mr. Fitness,” “Mr. Extreme Fitness,” and “Mr. Athletic Fitness Over 30 Years.”

In the “Mr. Extreme Fitness” category, first place went to Greece’s Vasilis Zachilis, while second place was taken by Lithuania’s Julijus Grishajev.

A separate category was designated for athletes over 30. In the “Mr. Athletic Fitness Over 30 Years” group, the winner was Germany’s Andreas Wilms. Second place went to Danish athlete Henning Kristensen, while third place was taken by Germany’s Udo Walther.

The women’s programme also featured several different events. For example, in the “Miss Performance Fitness Over 30 Years” category, first place went to Germany’s Corina Mayer. She was followed by fellow German athlete Silvia Schor, while third place went to France’s Marie Piere Ripert.

In another women’s event, “Miss Athletic Fitness,” the winner was Russia’s Svetlana Pugachova, while second place went to Germany’s Susan Malekpur-Shirazi.

These results show that the championship sought to distinguish between different types of athletic preparation and performance, giving participants the opportunity to compete in categories suited to their particular strengths.

Pairs Performances

Pairs competitions held a special place in the championship programme. They offered a different perspective on fitness competition, as the focus was not only on an individual athlete’s physical preparation but also on the joint performance of two people.

In the “Fitness Pairs” category, first place went to the German pair Cornelia Trost and Thomas Riedel. Second place was awarded to the Dutch pair Chantelle Tanke and Raymond Punter, while third place went to Germany’s Tanja-Leona Meyer and Philip Magenheimer. Latvian pairs were also listed further down the results.

Another event was “Fitness Performance Pairs.” First place went to the German pair Lucie and Udo Walther, second place to Russia’s Svetlana Pugachova and Artiom Ovsojan, and third place to Germany’s Corina Mayer and Andreas Trienbacher. Other participants included representatives from Latvia, Estonia and Croatia.

The pairs events added further variety to the championship and allowed athletes to compete not only individually. They were also one of the areas in which cooperation between athletes from different countries and the importance of stage performance were particularly evident.

An International Judging Panel

The international judging panel was an important part of the championship. Official documents list judges from Greece, Lithuania, the United States, Russia, Belarus, Austria, Germany, France and other countries.

Among the judges were Anargiros Tsopouridis of Greece, Dr. Edmundas Daubaras and Edita Sendrienė of Lithuania, Bob Gruskin of the United States, Andrej Basov of Russia, Fidel Sedych and Tatjana Kovalco of Belarus, Markus Schlager of Austria, Tamara Konz and Wolfgang Iben of Germany, and Oliver Ripeir of France.

Such a judging panel emphasised the international character of the championship. The evaluation was not carried out solely by representatives of the host country; the geographical composition of the judging team was considerably broader.

Overall Championship Winners

In addition to the winners of the individual categories, the culmination of the championship was the selection of the overall winners. According to the official results, the “Mr. Over-All Winner” title was awarded to Lithuania’s Mindaugas Kvasys, while Germany’s Corina Mayer became the “Miss Over-All Winner.”

The overall winner title was distinctive because it was not tied exclusively to one particular category. It represented an overall assessment of the championship and gave additional significance to the entire competition programme. Following the individual category contests, these two athletes were listed as the overall winners of the 2001 WFF World Championship.

The Geographical Diversity of the Championship

The results of the championship in Zwickau reflect a broad geographical representation of participants. The official lists include representatives from Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Greece, Austria, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Croatia, Estonia, Denmark, Sweden, the United States, Israel and other countries.

This is particularly evident in the pairs categories and in the men’s and women’s individual events, where representatives of other European countries regularly appear alongside German athletes in the results tables. Such distribution of participants allows the championship to be viewed as an international sporting platform where athletes from different countries could compare their preparation and competitive experience.

The Significance of the 2001 Championship

The 2001 WFF World Championship in Zwickau was an event in which several different areas of fitness came together. Individual men’s and women’s events, junior categories, groups for athletes over 30, an extreme fitness category and pairs competitions formed a diverse programme.

The championship results also reveal the geographical character of the international fitness scene of that period. Athletes from many European countries participated, as well as representatives from the United States and Israel. Not only the athletes but also the judging panel had an international composition.

The Zwickau World Championship can therefore be regarded as one of the WFF events of that period in which an effort was made to bring different forms of fitness competition together on a single stage. From juniors to veterans, and from individual performances to pairs events, the entire programme reflected the broad approach to fitness sport adopted by the WFF at the time.

The competition held in Zwickau from November 23–25, 2001, remains an interesting historical record that provides an insight into the international fitness competition system taking shape at the time, its categories, judging structure and the geographical diversity of its athletes.

More information is on international site www.wff.lt

World sport history. VILNIUS AT THE HEART OF WORLD FITNESS: THE 2004 WFF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP THAT BECAME A HISTORIC EVENT.

September 2004. Vilnius. Athletes from Europe and other parts of the world arrive in Lithuania's capital. For several days, the Vilnius Congress Palace becomes the center of the international fitness world.

This was not an ordinary international competition.

It was the WFF – World Fitness Federation – World Amateur Championship, an event that went far beyond the usual boundaries of sport. The competition involved not only athletes and coaches. High-ranking Lithuanian state officials took part in its organization, the event received support and funding from the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, and the championship attracted national media attention.

Today, more than two decades later, the 2004 WFF World Championship in Vilnius can be regarded as one of the most significant episodes in the early history of international fitness sport in Lithuania.

From 1995: The Emergence of a New International Fitness Federation

The World Fitness Federation (WFF) was established in 1995.

It was a period when international fitness sport was still searching for its organizational identity. Different countries had different sports structures, while athletes competed in various forms of physical culture, fitness, aerobics and bodybuilding.

WFF sought to bring these disciplines together within a single international system.

An important feature of the federation's history was cooperation between the sporting worlds of East and West. The federation was led by two presidents: Dr. Edmundas Daubaras, representing the Eastern countries, and German representative Klaus Hofman, representing the Western side.

This structure reflected the realities of Europe at the time – sports organizations were attempting to bring together countries that, only a short time earlier, had belonged to very different political and sporting systems.

In 2003, Klaus Hofman withdrew from active involvement in WFF, and leadership of the federation effectively became concentrated in the hands of Dr. Edmundas Daubaras.

Following the 2003 World Championship in Moscow, the next major chapter in WFF history unfolded in Vilnius.

And it was an important one.

VILNIUS 2004: WHEN A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BECAME A MATTER OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE

The World Championship held in Vilnius on September 24–27, 2004, stood out because its organization and scale went well beyond the usual format of an international sporting competition.

The chairman of the organizing committee was Gediminas Kirkilas, a member of the Lithuanian Parliament and, at the time, Minister of National Defence, who would later become Prime Minister of Lithuania.

His signatures on the championship diplomas became an official symbol accompanying the victories of the winners.

Other representatives of Lithuanian state institutions, including Dr. Rišardas Krinickis and Kęstutis Virketis, were also involved in the organizing committee.

But the most important point was not simply the names of the officials.

The championship received support and funding from the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

Foreign athletes were provided with free accommodation and meals in Vilnius hotels.

This demonstrated that Lithuania regarded the event as an international sporting occasion of significance.

THE VILNIUS CONGRESS PALACE – A WORLD STAGE FOR ATHLETES

The championship events were held at the prestigious Vilnius Congress Palace.

Athletes arriving in Vilnius competed for world championship titles in a wide range of fitness disciplines.

This was not simply a display of muscular development.

The WFF competition system included Classic Fitness, Performance Fitness, Athletic Fitness, Super Athletic Fitness, Extreme Fitness, as well as other categories. Separate competitions were held for women and in aerobics.

Another important feature was the inclusion of wheelchair fitness categories in the championship program.

This reflected one of the fundamental characteristics of the WFF approach: fitness was viewed as a broad sporting phenomenon encompassing aesthetics, athleticism, physical conditioning and athletes with different physical abilities.

THE WORLD IN VILNIUS

The 2004 championship results reveal an impressive international geographic reach.

Athletes represented:

Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Denmark, France, Italy, Germany, Cyprus, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Norway, England, Moldova, the Netherlands, Australia and Guadeloupe.

It was a genuine international sporting gathering.

The Baltic and Eastern European countries were particularly strongly represented, while Western European and other international athletes also took part.

The championship results therefore provide more than a simple list of rankings.

They represent a snapshot of the geography of world fitness sport in 2004.

LITHUANIA – NOT A SPECTATOR, BUT ONE OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP'S LEADING FORCES

One of the most striking features of the 2004 Vilnius championship is immediately apparent when examining the results:

Lithuanian athletes were everywhere.

Their names appear throughout almost every major category.

And, more importantly, this was not simply a matter of participation.

Lithuanian athletes won world championship titles and secured numerous podium finishes.

In the men's Classic Fitness Category 2, Ramūnas Sendrius became World Champion, while Olegas Gusarovas took second place.

In the Mr. Super Athletic Fitness category, Mindaugas Kvasys won the bronze medal.

In the Mr. Athletic Fitness category, Marikas Stefanovich finished seventh, while other Lithuanian athletes also achieved strong results.

In the Wheel-Chair Athletic Fitness category, Sergej Beglik became World Champion.

This is significant: Lithuania's name appeared in the championship record not merely as the host nation, but repeatedly among the winners and leading competitors.

LITHUANIAN WOMEN AMONG THE WORLD'S BEST

The achievements of Lithuanian women were equally impressive.

Jolanta Mileriūtė became World Champion in the Miss Aerobic Fitness category.

She also won second place in Miss Classic Fitness Category 1.

Aleksandra Kukreš became World Champion in Miss Aerobic Athletic.

In Miss Classic Fitness Category 2, Lithuania's Edita Diržinikaitė won silver, while Simona Šakinytė took bronze.

In Miss Performance Fitness, Laura Romeraitė won the silver medal.

In Miss Super Body Fitness, Marta Alesiūnaitė finished third, while Eglė Stasiukaitė won bronze in Miss Extreme Fitness.

Lithuanian women were therefore not merely participants in the championship.

They were among its leading international competitors.

THE OVERALL CHAMPIONS

The ultimate prize at any world championship is the overall title.

In Vilnius, the men's overall winner was Konstantin Zacharov of Russia.

He won Mr. Classic Fitness Category 1 and was declared the Men's Overall Winner.

The women's overall title went to Marina Burinskaja of Latvia, winner of Miss Extreme Fitness.

The Aerobics Overall Winner was Marija Deksne of Latvia.

Thus, in the overall standings, the strongest presence came from Russia and the Baltic region.

RESULTS THAT TELL A STORY BEYOND THE MEDALS

The results of this championship can be read as much more than a ranking table.

They tell the story of an entire sporting era.

They show that at the time:

Lithuania had a large and active fitness community; the Baltic countries were an important region within international WFF sport; Russian and Ukrainian fitness schools were particularly strong; Western European athletes were also actively involved; the WFF competition program extended well beyond traditional bodybuilding; wheelchair athletes were included in the international championship; women's fitness and aerobics were integral parts of the world championship program.

The Vilnius results can therefore be regarded as a map of world fitness sport in 2004.

THE LITHUANIAN STATE AND INTERNATIONAL SPORT

A particularly important feature of the event was the involvement of Lithuanian state institutions.

Today, international sporting events are often assessed according to sporting results, attendance figures, media coverage or television audiences.

The 2004 Vilnius championship presents a broader picture.

Representatives of state institutions participated in the organizing committee.

The event received government support.

Foreign athletes were provided with accommodation and meals.

The championship was held in a prestigious venue in the capital.

National television prepared a report on the event.

Following the championship, a press conference was held at the Lithuanian news agency ELTA, attended by Lithuanian Minister of Sports Vytas Nėnius.

This demonstrated that international fitness sport was being taken seriously in Lithuania at the time.

WHY DOES THIS CHAMPIONSHIP MATTER TODAY?

More than twenty years later, an important question remains:

Why should we remember the 2004 WFF World Championship in Vilnius?

The answer is simple.

Because it is a historical document of a period when Lithuania itself hosted a world-level fitness championship, while Lithuanian athletes were among its most active and competitive participants.

It is not merely the story of one competition.

It is the story of the people who helped build international fitness sport.

It is the story of a federation seeking to unite different sporting traditions.

It reflects the period following the Cold War, when the sporting worlds of East and West were increasingly seeking common ground.

And it is the story of Lithuania, a country that was by then capable of welcoming athletes from around the world to its capital.

THE LESSON OF VILNIUS 2004

Today, the championship protocol may appear to show nothing more than a name, a country and a ranking.

But behind every number lies a story.

First place represented years of preparation.

Second or third place represented international competition at the highest level.

And the presence of dozens of Lithuanian athletes in the results tells us something that a medal table alone cannot show: at that time, Lithuania possessed a strong and substantial fitness community.

The 2004 championship should therefore not be judged solely by who became World Champion.

A broader question should be asked:

What did this championship mean for Lithuanian sport and for international fitness?

The answer is – a great deal.

CONCLUSION: VILNIUS BECAME PART OF HISTORY

The 2004 WFF World Championship in Vilnius was more than a sporting competition.

It was an international event where athletes from different countries, different fitness schools and different sporting traditions came together.

It represented a period when WFF, established in 1995, had already developed an international competition system and was presenting fitness as a broad and diverse sporting discipline.

It was also an important chapter in Lithuanian sporting history, when state institutions, sports organizers and athletes joined forces to host a world championship in Vilnius.

And most importantly, Lithuania was not merely the host nation.

Lithuania was one of the championship's leading sporting forces.

Lithuanian athletes won world titles, earned podium places and formed a significant part of the championship's field.

Meanwhile, the overall winners from Russia and the Baltic region once again demonstrated the important role that this part of Europe played in WFF international sport at the time.

The message of 2004 was clear:

Vilnius was ready to host the world of sport.

Lithuanian athletes were ready to compete with it.

And WFF was, at that time, one of the important centers of the international fitness movement, bringing together countries, sporting disciplines and people.

For this reason, the results of the 2004 WFF World Championship in Vilnius are not merely an old competition protocol.

They are a historical record of Lithuania's place in the history of world fitness sport.