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Bob Gormley served as National
Chairman of the American Natural Bodybuilding Conference (ANBC)
from 1990 thru 2004. The ANBC became one of the largest
federations in the United States under Gormley’s leadership,
boasting as many as 50 competitions in a calendar year and
spanning from coast to coast.
Gormley admitted that recently
he hasn’t been able to allocate the amount of time or
attention to running a federation as he previously had due
to numerous other obligations he now has to contend with. He
stated he felt he could no longer devote the amount of time
to the ANBC that the athletes deserved, but that his love
for the sport remains.
Gormley was a competitor
himself and was with the ANBC near its inception in 1984.
Natural bodybuilding’s growth was sparked in the early
1980’s, so Gormley was in the thick of things essentially
from the start of the natural movement. His experiences in
the sport are unparalleled. Few match his knowledge about
the sport and its evolution.
Gormley decided to lend his
expertise to the
Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders (OCB) to allow
his continued involvement in the sport while reducing the
responsibilities that come with single handedly running a
federation. He decided to discontinue operation of the ANBC,
and instead utilize its resources to contribute to the
expansion of OCB. He will serve as a special consultant and
advise the board of directors who
help operate OCB.
Gormley commented that he felt
the change was the best thing to do for the athletes at this
time due to his time constraints, and also because the joint
venture would be beneficial to athletes who compete in his
events. He noted that the in-depth coverage of activities on
the OCB website, and the magazine OCB publishes (Fitness
& Physique) would broaden exposure available to
athletes. He also noted competitors would have an avenue to
reach a pro level if desired, through the
International Fitness &
Physique Association (IFPA). OCB is an amateur affiliate
of the pro level IFPA.
Of the new development,
current OCB President Matt Shepley had this to say: “I have
a lot of respect for Bob Gormley. He has accomplished great
things. The ANBC thrived for fourteen years under his
leadership. I think serving the sport for that long says a
lot about his commitment to natural bodybuilding. I’m
looking forward to working with him, learning from his vast
experiences, and benefiting from his expertise to help
expand OCB and provide additional opportunities and exposure
within the sport for the athletes.
The ANBC’s national
championship, the U.S. Natural, was among the most
prestigious and sought after titles in the U.S. (A gallery
of annual winners is displayed online at
www.physiquecompetitor.com/SportHistory_ANBC.htm).
A trademark of the championship was the custom Centaur
sculpture used for the overall championship awards (the ANBC
logo included a Centaur).
A new national show is being
added to the OCB lineup to pay homage to the ANBC’s rich
history, and to try to carry on
the tradition of the ANBC U.S.
Natural national championship. The event will cap off the
spring season. It will be titled the OCB Centaurian and will
be symbolized by having Centaur's awarded to overall
champions. It’s tentatively scheduled for June 24, 2006 in
San Diego, CA. |
