Did Alex Cambronero show poor sportsmanship at the New York Pro 2019?

The heat of a bodybuilding competition is very intense when you are in the running for the top spots. Each bodybuilder works incredibly hard year round for only a limited number of shows – so the passion and emotions run on the surface during those final moments when the awards are announced. So if you don’t get the placing you expect and worked hard for – sometimes it’s hard not to let your anger slip.

But part of being a professional athlete is just that – it’s about being professional. Emotions run high, yes, but how you appear in front of the public can have a major affect on what your bodybuilding career looks like. This is also true for what the judges see.

Which brings us to the New York Pro 2019 Classic Physique division and Alex Cambronero. A truly gifted athlete rising up in the division with an incredible physique. Unfortunately, it appears his emotions got the better of him when he placed second behind Keone Pearson. While our cameras only caught a small sliver of what happened – Alex’s frustration and anger slipped as he ripped and threw off his competition button as he walked off stage after the awards ceremony.

It may be just a quick “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” clip on camera, but the audiences and the judges most definitely saw it. The question is how much does this matter? Should the personality and professionalism of an athlete affect the objective judging of a competitor’s physique? Where is the line drawn – and how should the fans react to such a display of frustration?

Generation Iron’s very own Nick Trigili weighs in with his thoughts and first hand experience of witnessing the moment at the New York Pro. You can check it out in the GI Exclusive above.