American Media and Chief Olympia Officer Dan Solomon, who is in charge of promoting and producing the Mr. Olympia contest, has announced that Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has been named the 2020 Honorary Olympia Ambassador. The news was made in a press release earlier today.
The Olympia Ambassador position was created in 2019 with four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler being given the inaugural honor. This move is a part of a strategy by the Olympia to not only increase engagement with celebrities but expand the awareness of bodybuilding beyond its own fanbase. Other celebrities that have been involved with the Olympia in recent years include Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Solomon expressed praise of O’Neal when making the announcement. “In recent years, Shaq has become an enthusiastic supporter of Olympia weekend. He follows the bodybuilding scene with the same authenticity and passion that made him one of today’s most sought after product endorsers and a powerhouse in the world of business and entertainment.” He had been in attendance at the Olympia for several years, including the 2018 and 2019 contests.
There was no direct quote from O’Neal in the statement but his involvement in the sport of bodybuilding will be on full display even before the Olympia when he joins IFBB Pro League bodybuilder Roc Shabazz in producing the first “Roc Atlanta Extravaganza Presented by Shaquille O’Neal” in Atlanta, Georgia on August 22nd. O’Neal has a connection with Atlanta in his role as an analyst and host of TNT’s “Inside the NBA”.
The four-time NBA Champion hasn’t been shy about sharing his own fitness level in recent years. Before the 2019 Olympia, he posted a video of himself posing in an elevator which garnered over 1.8 million views. According to the press release, the 19 year NBA veteran will document himself training and preparing for the Olympia himself on social media.
O’Neal played for six NBA teams, most notably the Los Angeles Lakers, from 1992-2011 and won four NBA championships as well as the 2000 NBA MVP. He is also an Olympic gold medalist and member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He was considered one of the strongest and most dominant players ever.
The 2020 edition of Joe Weider’s Olympia Fitness and Performance Weekend takes place September 10-13, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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