JEDDAH, 20 July 2005 — Bodybuilding a sport so big and well developed in Europe and elsewhere is largely under the shadow of the more popular sports in the Kingdom.
It does not enjoy exposure and media mileage let alone government support in these parts despite the fact that more and more young Saudis are into bodybuilding.
Thus lamented Adel Basuni, a well credentialed champion bodybuilder and fitness instructor at Kai Health Center in Jeddah, in an interview granted to Arab News.
Basuni is looking forward to the day when bodybuilding reaches some degree of popularity in the Kingdom.
A daunting goal, indeed, but then Basuni sees the potential and he thoroughly knows what he is talking about. He was world champion in 1993 in the 70 kg. category, won titles in the Arab and African Championships in 1992 and 1995 and held the Mediterranean crown for three straight years from 1994.
He said bodybuilding is one of the best sports because it grows muscles and add beauty to it in the process. “This sport gives self confidence and help people stay away from vices like drugs and drinking,” he added.
Basuni, an Egyptian, said bodybuilding is now a growing sport in the Arab world and enjoys some measure of support as compared in the past. He said: “In the past, people look at this sport as fit only for people who are involved in a constant fight or for people who want to show off their bodies. This perception has changed now and people understood that it is a beautiful sport just like any other sport. Many people think that this sport is disgusting and it just makes the body bigger saying that all muscles will turn to fat if they stop, which is not true. It is because some people are practicing it the wrong way. Some people concentrate on the upper part of the body leaving the lower part, which is wrong. Muscles never turn to fat. It is like any other sport. For example, if a football player did not train for two months I would not expect that he would play with a better performance. This sport needs commitment. This sport organizes the way people eat and sleep. It deters people from messing with you. It sends a message that you are strong. Unfortunately, people have the wrong idea about the sport.”
Adel said there are many champions in this country but they lack financial and media support. He said: “When the Kingdom first participated in bodybuilding competition 1992, they took third place, which was a good result. Last year, the Kingdom won the Arab bodybuilding championship in Morocco, but the local bodybuilders did not get the media attention that they deserve. This is total injustice. If we look at European countries and compare their media with us, we would see the big difference.”
Adel said: “In last five years, we saw the big difference and now many young people are joining this sport and takes youth away from mischief. We must increase awareness about this sport by visiting schools or by organizing seminars and even bringing over world champions.”
While eager to promote the sport of bodybuilding, Adel has warned against taking the short cuts by using steroid to build muscles.
He said: “There are a group of youngsters who want fast results and take the illegal injection steroid. It took me 15 years to build this body. I had a young Saudi who wanted to get the same body in four months, which is impossible. Some young Saudis insist on taking steroid for fast results. Unfortunately, there are people who are selling this stuff in the black market without regard to people’s health or what damage it does because all they care about is the fast profit. We at the club refuse to accept these people and try to stop them from taking this dangerous road. We give them advice that steroid is an illusion; it is like building castle over sands. It gives young people the body they want for four months and after that problems start. We try to alert them of the side effects that sellers hide from they like kidney, liver failure and sterility in addition to the dangerous effect on the heart.”
He added: “I was once training a young Saudi when he all of a sudden wanted to get the illegal injection to get fast results. I tried to convince him about how dangerous it was, but on the other hand, there was this someone who was convincing him that it was good. When he failed to listen, I notified his father and big brother to stop him. I had to interfere because he cannot see the end of this dangerous road. I have seen people sent to hospitals for various health problems and I saw some died because of it. What is even scarier is that not many people are aware of the side effects because stereoid sellers don’t bother to tell them with only the money they generate in mind. The government should arrest these sellers because they are no different from drug dealers.”
In closing, Adel expressed optimism saying: “I wish this sport get more support in the Kingdom, specially from the private sector, because there are many champions here. With the perfect support, many more champions will be produced. I am very optimistic of a bright future of the sport.”
