Muscle Sport Magazine

Bob Cicherillo – Lee Priest Debate Continues

Our top story yesterday surely hit a nerve or two and the reaction from it has been quite interesting, to say the least. Bob Cicherillo responded to one of the Facebook posts with the link to the article and we spoke to Lee Priest for a rebuttal, which he was more than happy to give.

First, Priest posted the following in the comments section on the Facebook post (reprinted exactly as it appears):

Yes bob has facts a bit off. But Bob does work for IFBB. Him simply saying I got life ban for competing in PDI is wrong. I got 2 year suspension for that from 06-08. Got too card back in 2010 then just didn’t renew it. Was doing radio show with VPX where we talked about IFBB good and bad. Then when I was to go to Norway to do seminars etc is when I found out I was suspended from promoter as he was told if I went all athletes in his show would be suspended

Here is Cicherillo’s reply on Facebook (reprinted exactly as it appears):

Get YOUR facts right Lee…or at least a title that makes sense. What “lie” was told? You called out guys for having a year to get in shape and coming in off…yet, you did the EXACT same thing. You had ONE YEAR to prepare and came in way off the mark, which you admit to…having 4 excuses as to why doesnt make it not true. Everyone has excuses….You then ask for references as to when you came in “off”…as you state you only came in off ONCE. I’m guessing since you didnt win the majority of your shows, you werent “on” for many of those…either that or you were simply not as good as those who placed ahead of you? Your pick.

The IFBB was fair in dealing with you. Anyone who decided to go and compete for another federation was banned as well. No different for you. And yes..you were reinstated..I know because *I * wrote your reinstatement letter to the IFBB…remember, when you asked me to help? Priest Athletics Ad

Also…I dont work the the IFBB. I dont derive a paycheck from them, nor do I get paid to be the Athletes Rep. There is no paying capacity to “work” for the IFBB.

Oddly enough…It was your buddy Wayne DeMilia that fined you for thousands of dollars on multiple occasions back then…the same guy you left the IFBB for and went to compete in HIS PDI federation that lasted 10 minutes.

When we reached out to Priest about , he did not mince words:

“Again no pics or facts,” he said without hesitation. “We know why I didn’t place high. Yes, sometimes the guys on the day were better and then because I spoke out. I didn’t suck ass like you; I wasn’t a favorite. Pictures don’t lie. Many shows I was over looked. I was in better shape than many who placed ahead of me.

“Oh, so when you work at the Mr. O or NPC events,” continued Priest, “that’s not related to IFBB? We all know if you didn’t kiss their asses or didn’t do as they say, you wouldn’t get those jobs. Just like when Arnold mentioned the judging and the big guts and how it needs to change starting from the top with Jim Manion, why didn’t you carry on that discussion in more detail? No, you changed the subject instead. And me not winning had nothing to do with me being out of shape. Please, Bob, are you that dumb? Oh, forget I asked; we know that answer.

And as I said in my interviews leading up to that one show where I came in off, I said I was going to be out of shape,” added Priest. “Not like these guys who come in out of shape bloated saying they going to win. But again, Bob knows. I’ll just say my record for competing…winning from age 13 says it all.”

REGARDING JUNHO KIM – 2015 NY PRO 212 RUNNER-UP

There was a thread on Muscular Development‘s (called ironically enough) “No Bull” forum section speaking about Junho Kim, who placed second to Guy Cisternino in the 212 at the recent New York Pro. Kim also was the runner-up at the 2013 NABBA Pro Mr. Universe, a contest that Priest won.W15 234x295

The forum members were (correctly) impressed with the physique that Kim brought to the stage and that some of the chatter at the time that Priest beat a weak line-up two years ago in Australia was off base. To that, Cicherillo posted (reprinted exactly as it appears):

Kim placed 2nd in the 212, not the open. Big difference. Lee beat a second/third rate crew at the non IFBB shows he competed in. The PDI was a joke.

In response, Priest said, “Yeah, because the IFBB doesn’t allow their athletes to go elsewhere. “Trust me, there are a lot of quality guys competing around the world that are not in the IFBB.

“So he (Kim) got second in 212, not the open. Are you saying 212 guys aren’t good? Thanks, Bob because I never had a 212 and did great in the open in the IFBB. So thanks for saying I was great!

“I was and still am a good bodybuilder. Bob was and still is second-tier, so Bob would have fit in well with PDI and other organizations, as he didn’t have a top IFBB body.

“Oh, I forgot he won a Masters against…who ? That’s right – that was his early Christmas present from the IFBB. Wow, it must feel great getting a gift like that. It’s been over eight years that I have competed in the IFBB, yet I’m still one of – it not the most – talked about bodybuilders on online forums and in print magazines. If Bob didn’t emcee the Mr. Olympia or left bodybuilding, would we hear of him? Would he be talked about? HELL, NO!”

“Like I said – it’s no use talking to Bob,” Priest concluded “If he goes against the IFBB, he wouldn’t get his emcee jobs. Surprised Bob can even talk with his mouth so full of shit.”

ONE-WAY “OPEN” FORUM

Unfortunately, this back-and-forth has to take place on different platforms because Muscular Development freezes out their former employees from posting on said forum. Priest, Gregg Valentino and this writer are all in that category.

So right now, it’s just Cicherillo and the forum members. And thankfully, the majority of them are backing Priest. It would be very interesting if these new comments from Priest could be posted on the forum thread on MD so he can have a voice present. But for that, we would need someone reading this to step up since we do not have the ability to do so. 

LEE PRIEST COMPETED OUT OF SHAPE – BOB CICHERILLO thread:

http://forums.musculardevelopment.com/showthread.php/150426-Lee-Priest-Competed-out-of-Shape-Bob-Cicherello/page3

KIM VS. LEE PRIEST IN NABBA 2013 thread:

http://forums.musculardevelopment.com/showthread.php/150520-Kim-(NJ-Pro)-vs-Lee-Priest-in-NABBA-2013

2 Comments

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