Former Mr Universe Calum von Moger seen in court after spine injury
Celebrity bodybuilder Calum von Moger has pleaded guilty to a string of drug possession charges after almost dying in a tragic incident at his Melbourne home.
Australian bodybuilder and actor Calum von Moger has escaped conviction after pleading guilty to possessing drugs, including methamphetamine and cannabis.
The three-time Mr Universe winner, who has been dubbed Arnold 2.0, faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday via video link.
He had his arm in a sling after suffering a serious injury falling from a second-storey window at his Geelong home on May 4. The 31-year-old had surgery on his spine and spent 11 days in Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital.
On January 31, von Moger was arrested after illicit drugs were found in his car.
Police had pulled him over in Melbourne while he was driving without number plates.
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Von Moger pleaded guilty to seven charges including possession of methamphetamine, cannabis, testosterone cypionate, proviplex and viaplex (a drug to help men with erectile dysfunction).
He has been ordered to pay $500 to a court fund.
Von Moger’s lawyer, Bernard Campigli told the court his client had spent a night in custody after being arrested, which had been a “sobering experience” for him, Herald Sun reported.
Mr Campigli told the court von Moger suffered from depression and had been traumatised by a carjacking while living in Los Angeles.
He moved home last year.
“Unfortunately, he spiralled out of control soon after. He had taken testosterone for a number of years … (and) other substances came into the picture,” Mr Campigli said.
von Moger told the court he could no longer produce testosterone naturally.
Mr Campigli said his client would be taking part in a rehabilitation program and von Moger will face court again later this year on another matter.
Calum von Moger’s injuries
The bodybuilder was taken to hospital by ambulance on the morning of May 4.
Police were called to his Geelong home to reports of a man experiencing a mental health episode about 8am.
Nearby construction workers said they heard glass smashing, yelling and screaming before multiple police cars and ambulances arrived.
Three windows, across both levels of the home, were damaged and boarded up, while glass shards were seen scattered underneath the broken windows.
In an online article on May 6, Generation Iron reported Mr von Moger had suffered injuries and was in ICU before the news went on to make international headlines.
The brand Generation Iron is von Moger’s management.
Who is Calum von Moger?
Von Moger is best known for playing Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 2018 American comedy-drama Bigger.
He has 3.3 million followers and a clothing line.
As a young child, von Moger grew up with his five siblings at Anglesea on the Victoria’s Surf Coast.
It was there he started lifting weights at about 14 years old.
He won the World Fitness Federation junior Mr Universe title in Austria in 2011.
After winning another Mr Universe title in South Korea in 2014, he moved to Los Angeles.
In 2015, he told The Australian one of his main goals was to “really make a difference” and motivate kids to get out the house and go to the gym. At this point he had 224,000 followers on Instagram.
He won his third Mr Universe title in France that year.
In 2017, von Moger was in his first film – a bodybuilding documentary called Generation Iron 2.
He then played Schwarzenegger in Bigger.
“I looked up to him my whole life while I was training,” von Moger said of the Terminator star at the time.
The next year he had his own film on Netflix, Calum Von Moger: Unbroken.
Last October, von Moger moved back to Australia.
In a Facebook post made from hotel quarantine in Sydney, he said he had a tough year – which included the death of his dog Rex – he missed Australia and was looking forward to “finally” seeing his friends and family in Victoria.
“I know this sounds crazy, but a voice inside told me it’s time to give up my freedom and luxury life in Los Angeles and come back home,” he wrote.
The week before his hospitalisation, von Moger edited the caption of an emotional post his Instagram, which asked for his fans forgiveness.
“Everyone has a past. We’ve all been through hard times. I admit, I messed up bad many times. But I don’t care about dwelling on negative thoughts of the past. All I care about is that I learn from my mistakes and become a better person. I’m trying my hardest to stay strong but I have my days too,” he wrote.
Journey with steroids
In a video filmed two years ago for his YouTube channel, von Moger opened up about his take on steroids.
He said he trained naturally for six years before discovering what steroids could do, when he realised his friend was using them.
“One year, my friend just got a lot bigger and stronger, a lot faster and I was like what the hell is going on, how does he do this? And then we learnt he was taking steroids,” he said.
“But I refused to take them, I was happy training natural and just seeing what I could do naturally.
“Also, it was so unavailable for me, where I grew up, where I was living. If my parents found out they would kick me out of home for sure … it’s illegal.”
Von Moger said it wasn’t until about the age of 21, after he won his junior Mr Universe title, a mentor said “if you want a place in the top five (in the open division), you have to take steroids”.
He said he then took them leading up to competitions “to get ready”.
He warned young bodybuilders against using them too soon. He told them to see what they could do naturally without the health risks that come with steroids.
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