Alex Fedorov Interview

Michael: You?re getting ready to compete in your first Mr. Olympia contest. Moreover, you will be the first Russian who?s being considered a serious threat to do so. As a result you?re constantly being discussed and even criticized. Do you feel any pressure?
Alex: Well, it?s not exactly pressure, though certainly, it is my first Olympia. Earlier (in my career) I could not have even dreamed of it and now I am getting ready for the contest. And certainly I understand that I am the first serious participant from Russia. But it?s not really pressure. It?s more like responsibility. I feel it strongly. Very strongly.

Recently there has been lots of conjecture about you, ranging from more or less plausible up to absolutely improbable. It seems like the last one we heard was that you are involved with the Russian mafia. Do stories like this disturb or at least irritate you, or do you simply ignore the rumors?
I can?t say that I don?t find some of these rumors to be a little disturbing. But what really bothers me is when those rumors are spread by people I know. Why they would do this I can?t understand. As for my supposed "mafia" connection, I don?t even want to address that. It isn?t even necessary. No matter what I say, I am not going to convince anyone whose mind is already made up. All the news from my life on at the website. If anyone has a serious question they are welcome to write me through the site. I will never hide from anyone. I am a public person and I do realize that.

Both of us have repeatedly heard some of your more zealous fans compare you with Ronnie and Jay and seriously discuss your chances for a victory at Olympia. As a boomerang effect you are often criticized even more strongly by others. This may sound like a silly question, but what are your thoughts about your status in relation to bodybuilders like Jay and Ronnie?
I did stand onstage with both Ronnie and Jay (at the 2003 Russian Grand Prix), so it?s natural for them to compare us to one another. As for my comparisons with Jay I can tell you that at the Grand Prix of Russia he was obviously far from his best shape. So, this impression that I compared well with him is deceptive. We shouldn?t make such far-reaching forecasts on the basis of only this comparison. As for Ronnie Coleman, I can tell you that he is a great athlete. I am sure that this year he will enter the history books by winning the title for the eighth time in a row. I never said a lot of those things that have been attributed to me concerning Coleman, and I wouldn?t ever say something like this. I am full of respect for any pro athlete. And I?ve always said that there are two first places, if Ronnie competes ? Ronnie and whoever takes second to him. Just standing on the same stage as him is an achievement. As for the criticism, it?s great that it exists. Nobody?s perfect, but the problem is that usually you can?t see your own defects. So it gives you an opportunity to look at yourself through somebody else?s eyes. It helps me a lot actually. But whether you support me or you don?t like my physique right now I have only one thing to say to you: Just wait until the Olympia. That is where you will see everything I?ve got!

Two years ago, you were happy just to win a large amateur competition. Professionals, contracts, pro shows and contests - it all was so far from you, like some kind of a parallel reality. Now your face (and not only your face) is on the cover of your favorite magazine, people speak about you, write about you, ask for your autograph. Do you feel like a celebrity? Do you feel the glory? How does it feel to be famous?
To tell you the truth, I don?t think about glory or popularity. I always try to remain as I am. You can have everything in life, absolutely everything, and be at the top of popularity today, and in two years no one will remember your name. Though, certainly the attention is pleasant for me. But the most amazing part of it all is that my idols, such as Milos Sarcev, Dennis James, Shawn Ray and Dorian Yates have accepted me and communicate with me as an equal.

Is the attention of your colleagues is more important to you, than that of your fans?
No, certainly not. Both are important. It?s simply that the pros have already sweated through what I?m going through now. They know what it takes to be here, and so the fact that they don?t view me as some upstart who was only created by the magazines means a lot to me. The fans are certainly very important to me. Their presence motivates me. When I spent hours signing autographs at the last FIBO, I did not get tired at all. I enjoyed it. I understand that I work for the sake of these people. My success is their success. But once again I repeat, I do not reflect on glory or popularity. I?m just happy to be successful at something I enjoy.

Finally, the subject everyone who has followed your career want to know about: What?s going on with your chest?
Briefly, the operation, which I had over a year ago now, seems to have been a success. Yes, the chest is still very far from the optimum shape. Yes, it is still my weakness. No, it will not be possible to restore it completely by the Fall. It will, most likely, lag behind my other bodyparts. But we work around it. In any case, it is becoming better and better all the time and no longer seems to be the lost cause I once thought it might be.


http://www.alexfedorov.com/