Part I: You're On Steroids - Why - Because I Said So!
Q & A With Brian Cannone

Brian, Mo and Cathy,

Can you please answer this question for me?

I just started entering contests after years of procrastination because I didn't think I could get anywhere because I'd be competing against people on Steroids. After competing a couple of times I see exactly what prevented me from competing in the first place. Guys who are in NATURAL contests such as yours who are CLEARLY on Steroids. How does this happen? I clearly understand how, when, and IF people get tested. Is it all about the money?

I know Jermaine Morgan and he is DEFINITELY on steroids. OK, maybe not within a few months of the contest but he is a teenager and 230lbs off season, HELLO? I've seen him gain 30+lbs in a year and it wasn't from eating a lot of protein. 30lbs in a year is IMPOSSIBLE. How does he win your contest and keep his title if he would clearly fail the drug test IF the sample was actually tested?

This is very discouraging and I think, as many people are saying, doesn't make a NATURAL organization look very good if you allow this to happen over money!

I've been working out of years and I know when someone is on Steroids. This includes MANY other guys I know that placed in your shows.

I don't want to insult you, but please help me understand. Because this sucks for life time drug free people. I'll be shocked if I get an honest reply! Because he is NOT natural!

Even if you take his title, what does that do for the guy who was on stage that night and got bumped out of placing because someone placed above him on Steroids. He looses everything he would have experienced and work for on that night.

John

Dear John,

If you did my show I wish I knew who you were, as I'd personally call you - this is Brian - as Mo and Cathy have nothing to do with the contest itself and which bodybuilders are allowed to enter.

Jermaine was tested and passed a urine test - I have the results and I should post it online so you can see the actually test result - it wasn't 30lbs he gained this year it was 10lbs. Is he much better this year - yes - the judges also agree that is why he won?

It would really be a waste if he did do steroids - for what a trophy - not like this is baseball, football or other sport that the stars actually make a lot of money at playing a sport. Bodybuilding is a hobby and to do drugs for a trophy in a natural show really would be a sad thing as there is NO money in this.

Now I'm going to poke fun here as I used to say this to my buddy Carlo who used to say the same things as you did about every contestant in the contest: (Nobody was safe from Carlo's finger pointing at who was on drugs)

What I can do is hire you next year to sit and tell me who is on and who is not on Steroids - since you know best - but more than likely I wouldn't have many people in the contest as you may point to almost everyone -

Why don't you do this instead - look at the photos and take out all the people you know are on drugs and then tell me the real winner - you could beat them all right?

I am joking as I have friends that say what you wrote but they really don't know who is or who isn't on drugs - they just look at people and say things about them - funny you would ask Mo since most people assume he is on drugs - Mo is the best bodybuilder who ever did this event. Mo gets accused more than anyone.

Jermaine has come a long way and looks really good but 230lbs - never - he is always close to contest shape - all he does is work out and he Never goes off a bodybuilding diet - 6 times a day 50 grams of protein - every day of the year - how many people actually do that? Most people that follow that kind of lifestyle are the ones winning trophies in this contest. 365 days a year instead of 12 weeks makes a huge difference.

People used to say I was on drugs when I competed - is that a compliment - do people think you are on drugs - if not you better hit the gym with more intensity and start eating a bodybuilding diet of high protein every day and not just 3 months before a contest but 12 months a year for 3 years and we'll see what you look like.

I did wait until the results of the drug testing were sent before I posted any results of this contest online - last year someone failed and it was a shame that the person that should have won didn't get the spotlight at the finals - this can happen and sometimes does with bodybuilding.

The quality of the athletes in the Fitness Atlantic contest has always been top-notch - people get ready and come to do well. People know this show offers good exposure but the really good athletes live for bodybuilding and they have such a love for the sport and they live it all year and day after day hit the gym hard and follow a diet plan everyday.

There are some non-tested shows that the guys on drugs look horrible and they admit to using drugs - the NPC New England had a natural guy win the overall this year and beat out tons of guys all juiced up now just imagine how those guys felt. I bet a lot of people may have thought the judges gave it to that guy because his waist was the smallest, he was conditioned and maybe they knew he was clean. But judges are not supposed to try and pick people they think are on or off drugs to win - because without proof they really don't know for sure.

I have guys that have done this show that won't come back because they think the judges didn't pick them as winners since they thought they were on drugs and didn't score them properly - now what - they passed the drug test - you can't win with people - people have emotions and their feelings get hurt. What are you going to do - it is a contest and everyone can't win.

You can only test people by urine testing or lie detector for steroids - you can't point fingers and kick people out - it doesn't work that way.

I can't change your thoughts - you can think what you want - but the facts are the facts and he took a urine test and passed and if he failed it would have been posted in bold and we would have given the title to someone else - it is what it is and I'd hope it is the truth.

Thanks for your input and keep training hard and one day people may point at you and say you are on drugs - just don't really go on them - for what a trophy - your life won't change - you'll still need to go to work everyday except down the road you'll deal with serious health issues - then who wins?

Thank You,
Brian

Read Part II

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