WORLD BODYBUILDING HISTORY.

FIGHT AGAINST BODYBUILDING PROHIBITION.

UNIQUE KLAIPEDA BODYBUILDING FEDERATION.

We would like to underline once again that since 1973 bodybuilding sport in the U.S.S.R. was prohibited. Political powers prosecuted bodybuilders.

On April 17, 1968 during the International Contest in Kaunas (Lithuanian SSR) the International Bodybuilding Organization («Общественный комитет по атлетической гимнастике С.С.С.Р.») was set. For six years the organization was leading bodybuilding in the U.S.S.R.. It happened two years before when the I.F.B.B. federation was set in 1970 in Belgrade (Yugoslavia).

After the prohibition of bodybuilding the „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation“ closed it‘s work. All five Chairmen of the federation left bodybuilding: Russians ROMAN MOROZ (Роман Мороз, 1910 – 1987), GENADIJ BALDIN (Геннадий Балдин, 1934 – 2013),  VLADIMIR PETROV (Владимир Петров) and Lithuanians VALERIJ KORESKOV (Валерий Корешков), VYTAUTAS ZUMERIS (Витаутас Зумерис).

DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS wrote fourteen pages petition to defend bodybuilding as the prosecution of bodybuilding sport was getting more severe.  DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS brought this petition to Moscow and personally presented it to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the U.S.S.R. (Центральный Комитет Коммунистической партии С.С.С.Р.), to the Supreme Council of the U.S.S.R. (Верховный Совет С.С.С.Р.), to the Ministry Council of the U.S.S.R. (Совет Министров С.С.С.Р.) and main U.S.S.R. political newspapers „Pravda“ („Правда») ir „Izvestija“ («Известия»).

As a reaction to the petition of DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS he was invited to the Department of the Communist Party of Klaipeda City (Lithuanian SSR). The Charman of the Department JONAS GURECKAS (председатель горкома компартии г. Клайпеда Ионас Гурецкас) told DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS not to bother Moscow again. He permitted bodybuilders to train in Klaipeda. Also JONAS GURECKAS permited DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS to organize „Amber Prix International“ („Gintarinis prizas“, «Янтарный приз», 1968 – 2023) contest. The Sport Department of Klaipeda had to controll the bodybuilders.

In 1977 the „Klaipeda Bodybuilding Federation“ („Klaipėdos kultūrizmo federacija“, „Федерация культуризма г. Клайпеда“) was set just before the visit of DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS to Moscow. Today it seems like nothing special. But it was unbelievable at the times when bodybuilding was strictly prohibited. The word „BODYBUILDING“ was also prohibited as a „Western Unit“. So the federation was named as „Klaipeda Federation of Athletic Gymnastic“ („Klaipėdos atletinės gimnastikos federacija“, „Федерация атлетической гимнастики г. Клайпеда»). No one could even dream to establish International Bodybuilding Organization as it was done in the U.S.S.R. before in 1963 and in 1968. Bodybuilding was under total control and prosecution. Everybody was happy to have a federation even like this one.

This way the „Klaipeda Bodybuilding Federation“ was set legaly. It seemed fantastic. Bodybuilding in the U.S.S.R. was prohibited and at the same time „Klaipeda Bodybuilding Federation“ was established. The official address of the federation was the address of the gym of DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS – Sportininku Str. 17, Klaipeda, Lithuanian SSR. This name and address was used by DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS to communicate with the Chairmen of the U.S.S.R. Ministry of Sport (Госкомспорт С.С.С.Р.), all International Bodybuilding leaders of that time: N.A.B.B.A. President OSCAR HEIDENSTAM, I.F.B.B. President BEN WEIDER, W.A.B.B.A. President SERGE NUBRET. There was an intensive correspondence among them. That was the reason that the above mentioned persons were sending their magazines, literature and documents to „Klaipeda Bodybuilding Federation“ which was represented by DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS. DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS was communicating with all of them until their deaths. The communication went on even when DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS legally established the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. International („World Fitness Federation“, „World Bodybuilding Federation“). But we will speak of this in the third part of the „World Bodybuilding Encyclopedia“ („Pasaulinė kultūrizmo enciklopedija“, «Энциклопедия всемирного культуризма»).

Until 1987 „Klaipeda Bodybuilding Federation“ was the only one legal bodybuilding organization in the U.S.S.R. registered and recognized as a „FEDERATION“. All other gyms of the U.S.S.R. worked illegally or they were hiding themselves as a „not bodybuilding units“.

At that time no one of the U.S.S.R. bodybuilding representatives new foreign languages. At the same time DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS was studying foreign languages at the Vilnius State University (Lithuanian SSR). Nobody took DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS to meet the I.F.B.B. President BEN WEIDER when in 1978 he visited Moscow. So all participants of the meeting shook hands, took pictures and received I.F.B.B. gifts. No discussion... Today it seemes like the participants of the meeting were afraid of DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS. Knowing languages he could speak some „U.S.S.R. secrets“ to BEN WEIDER... At the same time DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS was just after his 1978 visit to Moscow with the bodybuilding defending petition. At the same time DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS was after the sucessful 1978 „Amber Prix International“ which was the „unofficial U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Championship“ («неофициальный чемпионат С.С.С.Р. по культуризму»). Later the Ministry of Sport of the U.S.S.R. recognized the „Amber Prix International“ as a former  „unofficial U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Championship“ and started presenting the respectful names of the „U.S.S.R. Sport Master“ («Мастер спорта С.С.С.Р.») to the Winners of the „Amber Prix International“.

The thadition of bodybuilding recognition in the U.S.S.R. that was started by DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS in 1978 went on. Bodybuilders surrounded the popular „Amber Prix International“.

INFORMATION.
More detailed information on the Global International Site www.wff.lt, see forum topics. Also information available on the Facebook pages: W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. International, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. North America, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. South America, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Asia, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Europe, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Africa, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Asia Continental Federation, International Sport University (I.S.U., www.isuniversity.lt), W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Pro Division, W.P.S.F. World Power Sports Federation.