Bodybuilding icon Lee Haney believes the sport has reached a dangerous level and is calling for immediate changes. In a recent Instagram post shared on September 4, 2024, Haney discussed how the sport has become unsafe, suggesting that athletes are destroying their kidneys and causing possible heart attacks in pursuit of ‘drier’ physiques.
Lee Haney is a former eight-time Mr. Olympia winner (tied for all-time victories with Ronnie Coleman). Since his illustrious reign in the 1980s and 1990s, he has watched the sport undergo drastic changes, most notably, in terms of dryness and conditioning levels.
There has been a significant uptick in bodybuilding deaths over the past decade, many of which were due to heart attacks. The sport grieved over massive losses, such as the death of former Mr. Olympia Shawn Rhoden as well as Arnold Classic champion Cedric McMillan. In addition, bodybuilders have continued to die often and what’s even more concerning is that many are losing their lives at younger ages, like Jo Lindner, who passed away at only 30 years old.
Haney has watched this concerning trend unfold, prompting him to take action. Given that athletes of his era are ‘alive and doing well,’ he believes changes need to be instituted to prevent younger competitors from dying all for the sake of a drier physique.
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Lee Haney Says ‘Current State of Bodybuilding is in Danger’ Believes Athletes ‘Are Destroying Their Kidneys and Causing Possible Heart Attacks’
Haney asserted that ‘old school bodybuilding emphasized symmetry, muscularity, and posing presentation’ whereas today, striated glutes and ‘near death dried out skeletal’ physiques are the norm. He underlines that deaths among young people in the sport are on the rise.
“Old school bodybuilding placed emphasis on symetry, muscularity, and posing presentation. Points were awarded in all three categories.
The most striated glutes or near death dried out skeletal physique wasn’t a determining factor. The current state of bodybuilding is in danger due to the recent outcomes. Bodybuilding deaths are on the rise at early ages.”
He believes judging criteria needs a reboot in order to ‘rekindle the beauty of our sport.’
“What’s sad is that the young upcoming bodybuilders don’t know the difference because the judging criteria have gotten out of sync.
The foundation of our sport needs a re-booted. One that will rekindle the beauty of our sport, by bringing back the former judging rounds as mentioned earlier, and put safe contest guidelines in action when athletes are being judged.”
Moreover, Haney suggests eliminating language like “you need to be drier” as athletes are destroying their kidney health and causing possible heart attacks from a lack of water.
“Get rid of dangerous language such as “you need to be drier” which to athletes means stop drinking water. Destroying their kidneys and causing possible heart attacks. Old school bodybuilders are alive and doing well. Many in their late seventies and some eighties.”
In a stark warning for the future, Haney mentioned that “Whenever the foundation of anything is compromised, disaster is always around the corner,” suggesting that the worst has yet to come in bodybuilding.
“Whenever the foundation of anything is compromised, disaster is always around the corner. It is my sincere hope that this post will have an impact on the sport that has allowed me to travel the world and develop life long friendships.”
“As 8 time Mr. Olympia, I will do everything I can to protect it. It’s all love my Iron Brothers and Iron Sisters🙏🏽❤️🫵🏽
To me Cedric MCmillian was the epitome of Excalibur Physiques 🙏🏽 ” Lee Haney shared.
Haney isn’t the first bodybuilding star to issue a grave warning about the state of the sport. Previously, Arnold Schwarzenegger cautioned that Open Bodybuilding had become dangerous to the point that people were dying. With that in mind, he predicted that Classic Physique would become the future of the sport.
As bodybuilding champions continue to turn up dead at younger ages, athletes like Lee Haney are determined to right the ship before it’s too late. Do you agree with Lee Haney’s overview of the sport?
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