Byekwaso prepares to bid farewell to legendary bodybuilding career

Reigning Mr. Olympia and five-time Mr. Uganda Ivan Byekwaso has finally found refuge in the country where his career was almost ended by a relationship that never was.

But he is contemplating bringing an end to his illustrious over 20-year bodybuilding career, which has seen him scale the stage with numerous accolades, including the topmost ones, the INBA World Championships, Mr. Universe, Mr. World Cup, and Mr. Olympia championships.

The former INBA Mr. Universe, Byekwaso, who in 2018 was wrongly pronounced dead after he had relocated to Germany and was briefly imprisoned there on trumped-up rape charges, has since settled in and married a German wife, Viktoria, with whom they have a daughter. In 2016 he flew out to compete in the 2016 INBA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, having won the INBA World Cup and Natural Universe crowns in 2015 in the US.

But it was during that time that he had fallen out with his sponsor Jack Pemba of Pemba Sports Africa over financial issues and was struggling to make ends meet in Uganda, so when an opportunity for him to pursue green pastures came, he took it with both hands.

Ivan Byekwaso poses with his collection of medals won from the different events in Germany. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“I thank God and the German police that found out the truth, and I regained my freedom, forgave my accuser, and embarked on a new life; that is why I have a happy family right now. We are happily married, and I’m now well off, unlike when I was struggling back then in Uganda,” Byekwaso stated.

“Not everyone that is accused of rape in this country is accused rightly; some are just framed, especially if it is a Black person that has been accused. It is not easy to win a child or rape case. It becomes even more difficult when you have a following.”

“It is the reason I decided never to date a Black person again, because once bitten, twice shy.

How did you meet your current wife?

“We met at the gym I first worked at when I had just come, and I told her then that I was seeing someone. Eight months later, we met again, and I had separated from my earlier girlfriend, so we met over coffee and spoke again. Incidentally, we were all churchgoers; she is strongly connected to the Catholic Church, and I’m also born again, so we connected, and we would go to either church together. But I was very inclined to the Pentecostal church. And when I was imprisoned, I would read the Bible for over eight hours daily. But I’m grateful that I got a perfect partner; she came into my life as a gift from God.

She is the one who helped me get dual citizenship after she got pregnant. I wanted to represent Germany on stage and once competed in the Bavarian championship, but I couldn't compete for them because I didn’t have their passport.

And they approached me after I got citizenship, but I decided to remain eligible to compete for Uganda. And my wife was surprised by my choice, but I told her it was my decision, despite the frustrations I had endured representing the country and getting nothing in return.

“So, I feel I have done enough for the country, and it is time for me to retire. I don’t think my retirement will derail the sport, because there are so many talented people out there who just need support.

“But I wish I could also be considered under the National Rewards and Recognition Scheme for sportspersons because I have done a lot for the country in the sport.”

Does she support your other children?

“When we met, she asked me about the challenges I had, and I told her that I was a single father of two, and every month she would see me sending them money, so sometimes she took over the role of sending them school fees because my son was in S.1 and my daughter was in boarding school. So, she understood my struggles, and I was open to her.

And she was understanding, and I submitted to her, deciding that she would lead me. So, she advised me to get a driving license, and I have since bought my own car. With her guidance, I have been able to do so many other things. She allowed my children to relocate, and they have settled in very well, and life is going on very well. There is a lot of stress here, but she has helped me settle in.

So, after embracing her culture, I told her she should visit Uganda as well. The parents were at first skeptical, but when they visited in 2022, they were impressed and surprised by what they saw: fresh food, good weather, healthy people, etc.

And when my father-in-law came back, he was now like an ambassador for Uganda, because what he experienced was far better than what he had imagined. He enjoyed the Nile Special beer and the climate very much.

What else do you do?

I not only work as an instructor, but I also go out for gigs in Austria as a bouncer and security guard at basketball and other events. For me, I can do any gig that comes my way because I know how far I have come. I’m also a preacher

What attracted Viktoria to Byekwaso?

“I love Ivan. He is a good person; he looked very good, with good character, and was speaking well. I wasn’t attracted by his muscles,” Viktoria noted.

In Germany, Byekwaso regards Harry and Claudia Klus' family as his foster parents, who helped him settle in the country. He met them in church, and they liked him and also supported him during the time he was jailed.

Byekwaso rose to more fame when he won the INBA World Cup and Natural Universe crowns in 2015 in the US. But the victory came with only bragging rights that left him yearning for opportunities that would also bring some food on the table. Jack Pemba took him places before the two parted ways in 2016.