Lee Priest calls out Arnold Classic Executive Director Brian Powers.
The Arnold Sports Festival has always been one of the best events of the contest season. Unfortunately, in the last few years, this once prestigious event is now being criticized by the media, athletes, and fans.
Since the first event in 1989, the Arnold Classic immediately climbed to the top as one of the most prestigious bodybuilding and fitness events.
Every bodybuilder and athlete had the goal of competing either at the Mr. Olympia or the Arnold Classic.
Since their beginnings, the Mr. Olympia, and the Arnold Classic, continued to expand and improve their events year after year. The events were organized in bigger venues to accommodate the larger crowds and the investment in modern technology made the professional events much more enjoyable and exciting.
In the last few years, the Arnold Classic has suffered drastically, while the Olympia Weekend has continued to grow, regardless of the difficulties they may have faced.
Lee Priest stands up for the athletes
The Arnold Sports Festival is scheduled to take place between 2-5 March 2023.
Immediately after the Arnold Sports Festival organizers announced the dates of the event, the media, athletes, and fans, were furious with the exclusion of several divisions.
212 bodybuilding, Figure, Women’s Bodybuilding, and Women’s Physique, have been excluded from the event. Several star athletes and media immediately vented their frustration about this decision.
Sarah Villegas, two-time Women’s Physique Olympia winner, immediately criticized the Arnold Classic promoters for their decision to exclude women’s Physique.
Read More: Villegas calls out Schwarzenegger for omitting Women’s Physique
Arnold Classic Executive Director Brian Powers remained silent, not explaining why 212 bodybuilding, Figure, Women’s Bodybuilding, and Women’s Physique were excluded.
Refraining from publishing an official press release to explain the reason, Brian Powers decided to comment on the website Barbend.com:
“We look at all the sports we have, including bodybuilding, every single year, and we analyze whether we can host a competitive field or not. Based on our yearly analysis of all the divisions, we didn’t feel we were in a position to host a world championship Figure competition, which is what we are in the business of doing.
“We may be able to come back and do it again next year, depending on the depth of the field. We feel like we didn’t have that depth this year. We’ll go back and we’ll look at it again in 2024.
“We are making major addition[s] to women’s professional sports in other sports that will be announced soon.”
The media, athletes, and fans, were furious when they read Brian’s comments. One bodybuilding legend stood out from the rest with his opinion about the decision.
Bodybuilding legend Lee Priest, did not hesitate to share his opinion about this controversy.
Commenting on the popular Instagram page Bisandtris, Lee Priest published several comments, challenging the decision of Brian Powers and the rest of the Arnold Sports Festival’s organizers.
Lee Priest to Brian Powers – August 24, 2022:
“At least I give honest answers. Like I said you should be a politician. Skirt the truth talk crap deflect etc. your no depth reason just put you in the toilet”
Lee Priest to Brian Powers – August 22, 2022:
“He should run for the office in the senate with an answer like that, lol.
Not enough depth in figure? Yeah, ok. Last I checked the men’s open is the one with the small depth usually. Cancel that division you.”
Lee Priest on the Arnold Classic excluding divisions – August 20 2022
“If it’s about money and numbers with figure, 212, etc… just invite 10 for each – the best – like they do for the men’s. Throw 30-50 names in a hat of people who said they like to do it. Then draw out 10 for each division.”
Lee Priest on the Arnold Classic excluding divisions – August 17 2022:
“I hope the athletes’ rep is standing up for the women saying if the women don’t compete none of the bodybuilders or any division in the men’s will compete. All for one, one for all.
“Too bad the fitness, bikini, and wellness girls don’t stand up for the others and say ‘if they are not doing it, then nor are we’. Wouldn’t that be nice…”
After reading the comments, Powers tried to ridicule Lee Priest and his opinions, but this back fired. The majority of fans and athletes agreed with Lee Priest, and it was not long before Powers disappeared from the conversation.
What happened to the Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Lorimer partnership?
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Lorimer had a business partnership that started in the late 70’s. After retiring from the sport of bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger teamed up with Jim Lorimer to promote a number of bodybuilding events.
Finally in 1989, history would be made when the first edition of the Arnold Classic was organized; Rich Gaspari would go on to win this event.
After the success they had in 1989, Arnold and Jim would continue to promote the Arnold Classic together until 2021, the partnership lasted for over 45 years. Jim Lorimer’s son, Bob Lorimer, would replace his father and be named President of Classic Productions in 2015.
Between 2021 and 2022, several major changes took place at the Arnold Sports Festival headquarters. Allegedly, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Lorimer family ended their business relationship.
Arnold would continue promoting the Arnold Sports Festival on his own. The company Classic Productions would be replaced with World Championship Events, Inc. Schwarzenegger is the Chief Executive Officer of World championship Event, Inc.
Allegedly, there was a reshuffle at the Arnold Sports Festival headquarters. Brian Powers was then named Arnold Classic Executive Director, and several employees were replaced or dismissed.
With all the changes taking place behind the scenes, a number of athletes are now seeing the Arnold Classic event as a second tier event. Numerous bodybuilding and fitness athletes are not happy that some divisions are being excluded, while at the same time, a number of other sporting events are being added to the expo.
Brian Powers has stated that the decisions being made are for the best, Evolutionofbodybuilding.net respects their decisions, but the athletes should be respected and be given valid reasons for their exclusion from the event.
