As you may or may not know, I am a documentary filmmaker working mostly within the very inbred and insular world of bodybuilding. From the local level to the pros, I have covered it all.
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A few weeks ago I was in New York shooting footage for a new documentary when I stumbled upon a fascinating fellow and was compelled to create a short profile of him. I will refrain from describing him and let you watch the clip. This seven minute video has created a firestorm in the bodybuilding community.
[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/2292882[/vimeo]
Competitors and fans of bodybuilding who have seen this video fall solidly into two camps. On the one side there are those who say, “Get that @(%&*# off the stage! He’s an embarrassment to the sport!” The other half express a more gentle sentiment, something along the lines of, “Good for him! It’s inspiring to see someone overcoming obstacles to live his dream.”
I am interested in see what my friends here at DI think of the ethical dilemma that many bodybuilding contest promoters face. Because this is an entry level competition no one can be turned away. (The winners of each category move on to national level competitions.) Yet, shouldn’t there be some sort of minimum requirements for competing in any sport? What if the person competing is not in full possession of his/her faculties?
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