Ben Weider(1923-2008)

Ben Weider is a Canadian-American coach, the co-founder of the International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB) and the "Mr. Olympia" competition. He was engaged in organizing competitions in bodybuilding and sports promotion. To be able to stand up for themselves, the Weider brothers began to train boxing and weightlifting. Strong training allowed Ben to win the second place in the championship of Canada. In 1942, at the age of 18, Ben Weider was taken into the army. He got into Canadian intelligence and served there for 3 years. After World War II, he returned to Montreal and began to help his brother Joe Weider. Brothers Ben and Joe Weider in 1946 founded their own International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB), which eventually became the most powerful and influential bodybuilding federation in the world, having absorbed in his orbit, other smaller federations. In 1975, Ben Weider was awarded Canada's highest award - the Order for a long commitment to improving the lives of citizens around the world. In 1984, Ben Weider was nominated for a Nobel Prize of peace. In 2000, Ben Weider became Knight of the Legion of Honor for his contribution to the study and popularization of Napoleon, and became the Knight of the Order of Quebec for promoting sport and healthy lifestyles. Ben Weider was professionally engaged in history, he was the founder and served as the first president of the International Napoleonic Society. On October 18, 2008, Ben Weider died at the age of 85.