1979 "AMBER PRIX INTERNATIONAL".

1979 „AMBER PRIX INTERNATIONAL“.

1979 IMPORTANT EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS.

We would like to remind that due to political reasons after 1973 bodybuilding sport was prohibited in the U.S.S.R. and Socialist countries. In 1978 DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS wrote the petition to defend bodybuilding. This petition he brought to Moscow and presented to the highest U.S.S.R. political institutions. The 1978 „Amber Prix International“ („Gintarinis prizas“, «Янтарный приз», 1968 – 2023, Klaipeda, Lithuanian SSR, organizer DSc. Edmundas Daubaras) was organized just after DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS visited Moscow to defend the bodybuilding sport. In Moscow he presented his petition to the U.S.S.R. highest political organizations. The petition was given to the Central Committee of the U.S.S.R. Communist Party  (Центральный Комитет Коммунистической партии С.С.С.Р.), to the U.S.S.R. Supreme Council (Верховный Совет С.С.С.Р.) and to the U.S.S.R. Ministry Council (Совет Министров С.С.С.Р.) and to the U.S.S.R. cental political newspapers  „Pravda“ («Правда») and „Izvestija“ («Известия»). Due to the petition of DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS U.S.S.R. political powers gave permition to organize „Amber Prix International“ in Klaipeda (Lithuanian SSR). But DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS wanted much more. He dared to organize the „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Championship“ («Чемпионат С.С.С.Р. по культуризму») together with 1978 „Amber Prix“. No one knew what the reaction of political powers will be. Nevermind DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS had taken the risk and did this step.

The 1978 petition of the DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS to defend bodybuilding did some changes in the work of the U.S.S.R. Ministry of Sport (Министерство спорта С.С.С.Р., Госкомспорт С.С.С.Р.). As told by one of the Chairman of the 1968 U.S.S.R. Bodybuidling Federation (Федерация культуризма С.С.С.Р.) R.S.F.S.R. weightlifter GENADIJ BALDIN (Геннадий Балдин) the petition to the U.S.S.R. highest polititians made big mess in the U.S.S.R. Ministry of Sport. Somebody was even punnished...  At that time GENADIJ BALDIN was working at the U.S.S.R. Weightlifting Federation and he was very well informed about all happenings in the U.S.S.R. Ministry of Sport. They remembered previous 1963 and 1968 U.S.S.R. Bodybuidling Federations that were set due to the F.I.H.C. (Federation Internationale Halterophile et Culturiste) activities through the World. Due to the DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS petition U.S.S.R. Ministry of Sport accepted the fresh „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation“ («Комиссия атлетической гимнастики С.С.С.Р.» as well as «Федерация культуризма С.С.С.Р.»).  as it was in 1963 the „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation“ was a part of the „U.S.S.R. Weightlifting Federation“ (Федерация тяжёлой атлетики С.С.С.Р.). Nevertheless bodybuilding in the U.S.S.R. was still prohibited and this bodybuilding federation egzisted only formally. It did zero work in fact.  The Chairman of the „U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation“ was a R.S.F.S.R. Weightlifter ROMAN MOROZ (Роман Мороз), the General Secretary ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS.

As a result of the petition U.S.S.R. polititians let DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS to organize „Amber Prix International“ bodybuilding contests in Klaipeda. The 1978 „Amber Prix“ was an example to other bodybuilders of the U.S.S.R.. During the bodybuilding prohibition they started showing „Amber Prix International“ to local political powers and asking permition to organize contests. Unfortunatelly it happened not so quickly. Only Kaunas (Lithuanian SSR) organizers started making political contests under the name „Comsomol Cup“ („Komjaunimo taurė“, «Кубок комсомола»).

In 1978 after the successfull „Amber Prix International“ DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS visited People‘s Republic of Poland and Czechoslovakian SSR. In Warszawa he spoke with bodybuilders of „Hercules“ Gym. They gave DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS a written invitation for the U.S.S.R. bodybuilders to participate at the International contest in Warszawa in 1979. In those times nobody could move through Socialist countries without invitation. Only then Ministries of Foregn Affairs of definite countries used to give permittion to visit another  Socialist country.

In 1978 in Czechoslovakian SSR DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS met the President of the National Bodybuilding Federation VOJTECH FIALA (Войтех Фиала). They spoke about the details of the coming 1979 common event. Both agreed that DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS with the U.S.S.R. bodybuilders will come to the 1979 Czechoslovakia National Championship in Ostrava. At the same time there will be organized the competition „Czechoslovakia – U.S.S.R.“ («Чехословакия – С.С.С.Р.»). DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS was presented invitations for the folowing U.S.S.R. bodybuilders: Lithuanians EUGENE GORELIK (Евгений Горелик), SAULIUS MISEVICHUS (Саулюс Мисявичус), ALBERTAS BESAKIRSKAS (Альбертас Бесакирскас) and Estonian OLEV ANNUS (Олев Аннус). Also DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS included to the U.S.S.R. delegation the Chairman of the „Vilnius Bodybuilding School“ CESLAV TAMULEVICH (руководитель «Вильнюсской школы культуризма» Чеслав Тамулевич). After 1973 the U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation («Федерация культуризма С.С.С.Р.») was closed. The Secretary of the formal U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS (Романас Калинацскас) still kept contacts with Moscow. When he learned about the coming event in Czechoslovakia and when he learned that he is not included to the delegation, he started writing letters to the communist power institutions. ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS wanted to ruin the 1979 coming contest „Czechoslovakia – U.S.S.R.“ and he did it. The contest was canceled. The invitations for the U.S.S.R. bodybuilders still are kept in the archieves of the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. International (World Fitness Federation, World Body Building Federation).

Then DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS gave his invitation to 1979 International contest in Warszawa to his friend INNAR MARDO (Иннар Мардо, 1946 – 2002). Due to this invitation in 1979 INNAR MARDO went to Poland with OLEV ANNUS. OLEV ANNUS won his category and the Over All Winner‘s title. There INNAR MARDO met organizers of various Socialist countries and they invited the U.S.S.R. bodybuilders to participate at their contests.

This was in 1979 that INNAR MARDO and Estonian INDREK OTSUS (Индрек Отсус) participated at the „Trener“ contest in Czechoslovakian SSR. INDREK OTSUS was the Over All Winner and he won in his category against the 1975 I.F.B.B. (International Federation of Body Builders) Europe Champion PETER STACH (Петер Стах).

At the same 1979 INNAR MARDO with OLEV ANNUS and INDREK OTSUS participated at the International contest „Spartacus Cup“ in Budapest (Hungarian SSR). Both Estonia SSR bodybuilders won their categories. INDREK OTSUS won against the famous ANTON HOLIC (Антон Холич) and OLEV ANNUS won against PETER URICEK (Петер Уричек) who were top bodybuilders of the Czechoslovakian SSR at that time.

In 1979 after the conflict with INNAR MARDO OLEV ANNUS started writing bad letters about him to the political institutions of the Estonian SSR. The conflict was influenced by the ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS nad other Bodybuilding Organizers of Lithuanian SSR who hated the International results achieved by INNAR MARDO. ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS was among the enemies of INNAR MARDO. Lithuanians pressed OLEV ANNUS to replace INNAR MARDO in Estonian SSR.

After the participation at the 1979 „Trener“ competition the Estonian political powers closed the gym of INNAR MARDO. The similar process was in the Lithuanian SSR too. Lithuanian bodybuilding organizers hated DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS. It was because DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS got so great results due to his petition. Also due to successfull 1978 „Amber Prix International“ which brougt a total attention of the U.S.S.R. bodybuilders. When support to defend bodybuilding sport was needed no one of the U.S.S.R. bodybuilders was together with DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS. No one of them supported him in his fight to defend bodybuilding sport. Due to the conflicts in 1979 DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS lost his „Gintaras“ gym too. It was closed. About twenty high level bodybuilders left the contest stage for all times. No one wanted to support ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS group. The Lithuanians led by ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS prohibited for a pupil of DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS at that time the best Klaipeda bodybuilder ALBERTAS REMEIKA (Альбертас Ремейка) to participate at the 1979 „Georg Tenno Memorial“ («Мемориал Георга Тенно», 1971 – 1989). Ther reason was that ALBERTAS REMEIKA was a pupil of DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS. Nothing more. This bodybuilder successfully participated at the competition in Kaunas (Lithuanian SSR) in 1979. Then he had imperssive huge muscles and weight over 120 kilograms. The specialists spoke about the nioce future of ALBERTAS REMEIKA.

This way due to the intriques and conflicts no one of bodybuilders of the Lithuanian SSR could participate at the International contests in the Socialist countries in 1979. This way INNAR MARDO participated at the International contests only with bodybuilders of the Estonian SSR. All other bodybuilders of the U.S.S.R. were left behind.

(the article is based on the documents and correspondence of DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS with INNAR MARDO).

INFORMATION.
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