Post by Tim Wescott on Dec 13, 2003 16:23:05 GMT -5
Pros Sound Off on Olympia Qualification Rule Change
This From Flex-Online 12/13/2003
Among the recent rule changes instituted recently by the IFBB was in the Mr. Olympia qualification process. Instead of the top 10 in the Mr. O qualifying for the following year’s contest, now only the top six will be eligible. Also, officials eliminated the rule that allowed an athlete to qualify for the Olympia if the top three finishers in a contest, or the top five in the Night Of Champions, had already qualified.
FLEXonline caught up with a few of the athletes to gauge their responses to the change. Their reactions were mixed, to say the least.
Victor Martinez: It certainly makes it much more difficult. In some ways it seems the judges already have their eyes on who should be the top six even before the competition.
Dexter Jackson: I don’t think it should change. We’re so used to having that option, a lot of guys will have trouble adjusting to it.
King Kamali: I think it’s great for the sport. It will force some of the guys to do the other shows and prove themselves.
Kevin Levrone: Too many guys are in the Olympia already. Guys get in the Olympia who shouldn’t be there, then their balls get huge, and they think they’re special. The Olympia should just be for the elite.
Darrem Charles: It used to be that they didn’t have enough competitors for the Olympia, so they changed the rules to allow more pros to quality. Now, they’ve gone back to the way it was, and there may be only nine or 10 competitors in the show. They’re just recreating the same problem. It doesn’t make any sense at all.
Gunter Schlierkamp: I think they should leave it the way it is. It’s so tight between sixth and 10th, the competitors are almost interchangeable that it’s fairer to just leave it to the top 10.
Ronnie Coleman: I think it’s a good change. It means that some guys who rest on their laurels now will have to compete and qualify. That’s the situation I always faced in the Olympia. I was always out of the top 10, until I won it.
Rodney St. Cloud: I think it’s good to make guys re-qualify. It makes everyone look better if they know there’s no free ride to the Olympia.
Shawn Ray: I think it’s great. I think it’s ridiculous to have 25 guys onstage at the Mr. Olympia. I think it’s been watered down for far too long with people who shouldn’t be on that stage. If some guys are just taking up space, what’s the point of having them there? This rule change will help.
Troy Alves: I understand why they did it, but it makes it much more difficult to qualify, especially the change of not allowing a fourth-place finisher to get in. It’ll make the other shows more competitive, though.
Jay Cutler: It’s understandable. A lot of guys can’t be competitive, and this will make sure the elite will be there. I think the Olympia should be just the top 15 bodybuilders in the world and leave it at that.
Johnnie Jackson: Overall, it’s good, because it will get top guys into the smaller shows, though it pushes us new guys back a little bit further. But since it’ll help other shows draw athletes and fans, it’s a give and take.
Garrett Downing: It’s a mixed blessing. More guys will enter the lower tier shows to qualify, making those contests more competitive and exciting. But that means other guys will find it very difficult to make it. Ultimately, I think they shouldn’t have changed the rule, because now you’ll never see new guys in the Olympia.
Lee Priest: It’s good for some of the smaller contests, but you could end up having the same competitors doing all those shows. I don’t see it being good or bad, but if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. There are other problems I’d address before I’d change that.
Melvin Anthony: I don’t think they should have changed it. It won’t necessarily make people compete more. It may have the opposite effect if top competitors are in every show, since other athletes know they won’t place as high. It will definitely affect which shows I decide to do in the future.
Dennis James: I don’t like it. Guys are going to be forced to do other shows, and it’s going to be difficult to qualify if the same top names do the smaller shows.
Claude Groulx: I think the changes are good. It was better when there were fewer competitors in the Olympia. That way every competitor got a good look. Now, with over 20 guys in the show, some competitors get overlooked. There are still a lot of opportunities for guys to qualify for the show.
This From Flex-Online 12/13/2003
Among the recent rule changes instituted recently by the IFBB was in the Mr. Olympia qualification process. Instead of the top 10 in the Mr. O qualifying for the following year’s contest, now only the top six will be eligible. Also, officials eliminated the rule that allowed an athlete to qualify for the Olympia if the top three finishers in a contest, or the top five in the Night Of Champions, had already qualified.
FLEXonline caught up with a few of the athletes to gauge their responses to the change. Their reactions were mixed, to say the least.
Victor Martinez: It certainly makes it much more difficult. In some ways it seems the judges already have their eyes on who should be the top six even before the competition.
Dexter Jackson: I don’t think it should change. We’re so used to having that option, a lot of guys will have trouble adjusting to it.
King Kamali: I think it’s great for the sport. It will force some of the guys to do the other shows and prove themselves.
Kevin Levrone: Too many guys are in the Olympia already. Guys get in the Olympia who shouldn’t be there, then their balls get huge, and they think they’re special. The Olympia should just be for the elite.
Darrem Charles: It used to be that they didn’t have enough competitors for the Olympia, so they changed the rules to allow more pros to quality. Now, they’ve gone back to the way it was, and there may be only nine or 10 competitors in the show. They’re just recreating the same problem. It doesn’t make any sense at all.
Gunter Schlierkamp: I think they should leave it the way it is. It’s so tight between sixth and 10th, the competitors are almost interchangeable that it’s fairer to just leave it to the top 10.
Ronnie Coleman: I think it’s a good change. It means that some guys who rest on their laurels now will have to compete and qualify. That’s the situation I always faced in the Olympia. I was always out of the top 10, until I won it.
Rodney St. Cloud: I think it’s good to make guys re-qualify. It makes everyone look better if they know there’s no free ride to the Olympia.
Shawn Ray: I think it’s great. I think it’s ridiculous to have 25 guys onstage at the Mr. Olympia. I think it’s been watered down for far too long with people who shouldn’t be on that stage. If some guys are just taking up space, what’s the point of having them there? This rule change will help.
Troy Alves: I understand why they did it, but it makes it much more difficult to qualify, especially the change of not allowing a fourth-place finisher to get in. It’ll make the other shows more competitive, though.
Jay Cutler: It’s understandable. A lot of guys can’t be competitive, and this will make sure the elite will be there. I think the Olympia should be just the top 15 bodybuilders in the world and leave it at that.
Johnnie Jackson: Overall, it’s good, because it will get top guys into the smaller shows, though it pushes us new guys back a little bit further. But since it’ll help other shows draw athletes and fans, it’s a give and take.
Garrett Downing: It’s a mixed blessing. More guys will enter the lower tier shows to qualify, making those contests more competitive and exciting. But that means other guys will find it very difficult to make it. Ultimately, I think they shouldn’t have changed the rule, because now you’ll never see new guys in the Olympia.
Lee Priest: It’s good for some of the smaller contests, but you could end up having the same competitors doing all those shows. I don’t see it being good or bad, but if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. There are other problems I’d address before I’d change that.
Melvin Anthony: I don’t think they should have changed it. It won’t necessarily make people compete more. It may have the opposite effect if top competitors are in every show, since other athletes know they won’t place as high. It will definitely affect which shows I decide to do in the future.
Dennis James: I don’t like it. Guys are going to be forced to do other shows, and it’s going to be difficult to qualify if the same top names do the smaller shows.
Claude Groulx: I think the changes are good. It was better when there were fewer competitors in the Olympia. That way every competitor got a good look. Now, with over 20 guys in the show, some competitors get overlooked. There are still a lot of opportunities for guys to qualify for the show.
