Has anyone read much about the 1980 Mr. Olympia? I know it was controversial but I wonder how true the rumors were? That Arnold Schwarzenegger won because of fame and growing popularity rather than a good physique?

Some will say that's pretty much what happened... Arnold had not trained until just before the contest... Mike Menzer was the favorite to win and was very pissed off... Arnold had the movie coming up... on the stage Arnold was telling jokes and throwing all of the competition off timing wise.

It was announced just before the contest that Arnold was in great shape and going to win hands down, which shook up everyone.

Question to Mike Menzer: I would like to turn back 20 years and ask you about the most controversial Mr. Olympia in history. I am talking, of course, about the 1980 Mr. Olympia that took place in Sydney. Everybody thought at that time that the winner would prevail after a strong battle between you and Frank Zane, as it had happened exactly 1 year before in the 1979 Mr. Olympia. Surprisingly, you finished 5th and Mr.Zane finished 3rd. What do you believe really happened that day?

Mike Menzer's Response: The 1980 Mr. Olympia was definitely fixed. The promoter of that contest was Paul Graham, a very, very close friend of Arnold's. As it turned out, while the rules stated that individuals had to officially enter their application to compete one month before the contest, the IFBB bent the rule and let Arnold enter the day before! He waited that long because by that point he knew who the judges were. CBS, who was there to film the event for future televising, was convinced it was fixed and discovered that a majority of the judges had either close personal or financial ties with Arnold. Well, so convinced - and pissed off - was CBS Sports that, despite the time, money and effort required to send a film crew half way around the world to Australia to film a sporting event, they refused to air that contest.

What do you think? Go to the Muscle Mayhem Forums to discuss.

Brief 1980 Mr. Olympia Highlights

Arnold Interview on the 1980 Olympia