Ben Weider

Infobox Person
name = Ben Weider

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image_size = 225px
birth_name =
birth_date = birth date and age|1924|2|1|mf=y
birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada
death_date =
death_place =
other_names = The President
known_for = Co-creating the IFBB
occupation = President of the IFBB
height = 5 ft. 11 in.
weight = 160 lb.
relatives = Joe Weider (brother)
website = [http://www.weider.com www.weider.com]
footnotes =

Benjamin "Ben" Weider (born February 1, 1924 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) is the co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) along with brother Joe Weider. He is a Jewish businessman from Montreal well-known in two areas: Bodybuilding and Napoleonic history.

Achievements

* In Bodybuilding he founded and runs a physical fitness and sporting goods company bearing his name. He was IFBB president until October 29th 2006, when he announced his retirement. He has since donated a gym to the Israeli Knesset. In 2008, he was awarded the lifetime achievement award at the Arnold Classic 2008.

*In Napoleonic circles Weider is known as a forceful advocate of the theory that Napoleon was assassinated by a member of his entourage during his exile in Saint Helena. He co-authored a book, "The Murder Of Napoleon", with Sten Forshufvud about this. Weider also founded the International Napoleonic Society, of which he is the President, and has written numerous articles for this organization. [ [http://ameliefr.club.fr/E-Napoleon-Jews.html "Napoleon and the Jews" by Ben Weider] ]

In 1975 he was made a Member of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Officer in 2006. [http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=4984] In 2000, he was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec. On October 12, 2000, he received the French Legion of Honor. Weider is also a 1984 nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, member of the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame, Commander of the Venerable Order of St. John of Jeursalem and has several honorary doctorate degrees. The Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution at the Florida State University History Department has recently created the Ben Weider Chair in Revolutionary Studies.

In October 2006 Ben Weider unexpectedly retired as president of the IFBB.

From 1998 to 2005, Ben Weider was Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the 62^nd (Shawinigan) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA. In 2005, he was promoted to be the Honorary Colonel of that military unit.

Published Works

*Franceschi, General Michel and Ben Weider. 2007. Wars Against Napoleon: Debunking the Myth of the Napoleonic Wars. Savas Beatie.
*Weider, Ben. 2000. Louis Cyr: Amazing Canadian. Ironmind Enterprises.
*Weider. Ben (Author), Joe Weider (Author), Daniel Gastelu (Author). 2002. The Edge. Avery Publishing.
*Weider, Ben and Sten Forshufvud. 1995. Assassination at St. Helena Revisited. Wiley.
*Weider, Ben and Robert Kennedy. 1986. Superpump!: Hardcore Women's Bodybuilding. Sterling Pub Co Inc.
*Weider. Ben and David Hapgood. 1982. The Murder of Napoleon. New York: Congdon & Lattes : Distributed by St. Martin’s Press.
*Weider, Ben and Sten Forshufvud. 1978. Assassination At St.Helena. The Poisoning Of Naploeon Bonaparte. Mitchell Press.

ee also

*Napoleon and the Jews

References

External links

* [http://www.ifbbpro.com IFBB Professional League, for interest in professional bodybuilding, health and fitness] .
* [http://www.napoleonicsociety.com International Napoleonic Society website]
* [http://www.sportspublishingllc.com/book.cfm?id=854 "Brothers of Iron: How the Weider Brothers Created the Fitness Movement and Built a Business Empire" by Joe Weider and Ben Weider, with Mike Steere, published by Sports Publishing L.L.C., 2006]
* [http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=1749 Order of Canada Citation]
* [http://www.jewishsports.net/PillarAchievementBios/BenWeider.htm Pillar of Achievement mention] in the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
* [http://www.ifbb.com/history/napoleon.htm Ben Weider: Canadian Casts Doubt on French History]