This week on TSL Sports Talk, IBFF (International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness) professional bodybuilder, Toney Freeman, joined us to talk about his career in bodybuilding and his upcoming competition in the Golden State Bodybuilding Championships this weekend. TSL Sports Talk host, Mark Gray, opened up the interview by talking about how there has not been many high-profile-celebrity-status Black bodybuilders since Lee Haney. Gray asked Freeman why he thinks this phenomenon exists considering how their credibility and dominance in bodybuilding has been second to none.
Freeman:
“A lot of that has to do with who owns the magazines and who owns the media outlets. When we win, you get a little bit of publicity, but other than that, if you’re sponsored by a certain magazine, maybe you’ll get a little extra play. For me, I have to earn what I get, which I don’t really mind. So, its just a matter of putting the right foot forward and getting the right people out front to bring more positive followings of the sport, so more people will be more enlightened. In order to be a fan of something, you need to know what its about, you need to know the rules of engagement. So I think what body building is all about -from the proper standpoint- is the more people find out about it, the more interesting it will become.”
Listen to the full interview below to hear why Freeman thinks there is a lot of ignorance in the sport, the different aspects of the sport, what inspired him to start body building and more.
TSL Sports Talk broadcasts live, every Thursday, 3-5PM. Follow us on twitter: @TSLSportsTalk or write us at: [email protected].
