‘Tan Man’ From Arnold Classic 2012 And Other Bizarre Tanning Photos Of Bodybuilders

No, he’s not related to tanning mom Patricia Krenctil (or so we assume). A nameless man who competed in the 2012 Arnold Classic Europe has become an Internet sensation after photos taken at the bodybuilder competition were released.

Over the weekend, male and female contestants competed at the European version of the annual Arnold Schwarzenegger Bodybuilding Classic in Madrid, where biceps, triceps, thongs and fake tans reign supreme in terms of fashion.

But one contestant, who is now otherwise known as 49, stood out not for his skill but for his botched spray tanning job in photos taken by The Associated Press. 49 stood with his hands proudly on his waist as he flex his muscles shirtless, baring fake tan only applied from the neck down. Since the photos emerged, countless websites like The Daily Mail have noted contestant 49 “missed a spot” poking fun at the competitor.

“But if you’re going to apply what appears to be Varathane to your body, at least take the time to slather it on your whole body, you know? “ wrote Charlotte Hannah of Twirlit.

“Tan Man,” as he has been dubbed, has also been the subject of memes over the past few days at Know Your Meme.

But according to Bodybuilding.com, tanning before a competition is essential.

“Tanning or at least a base covering is needed when presenting your physique on stage for a competition,” wrote Tanji Johnson for Bodybuilding.com. “There are many reasons. The lights used for stage illumination are quite different from that of natural light or the lights we use in our homes. The stage lights are bright and a person's skin tone will get washed out if not protected with a tanning product. The darker the skin, the easier it will be for judges to evaluate a person's body conditioning and muscular development when compared to the other athletes on stage. You want the judges to see the lines that complement your physique by attaining a golden color that will be captured by this type of lighting.”

The website even has a 14-day preparation guide for achieving the perfect tan.

The event attended by Schwarzenegger himself awarded Shawn Rhoden, who is not to be confused with the man in the infamous photos, of Jamaica as the champion of the competition, which first began in the U.S. in 1989.

But the photo of “Tan Man” is not the only image from bodybuilding competitions that’s, well, a bit bizarre. Check out our gallery of photos of bodybuilders prepping with their tanning greasepaint before competing.