Bodybuilding star to quit in disgust

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia's bodybuilding star Ade Rai said he was going to quit the national team for the upcoming 2002 Asian Games, citing unfair treatment from the Asian Body Building Federation (ABBF).

Ade even suggested the national bodybuilding team completely abandon its bid at the four-yearly multi-event sporting showcase to be held in Busan, South Korea.

Ade's statement followed a threat by the ABBF to ban him from the Asian Games for staring in an advertisement promoting a vitamin supplement called Twin Lab.

"What I learned from the issue is that Asian bodybuilding is being politicized," Ade told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday evening.

At its congress in Melaka, Malaysia, in which the Asian Bodybuilding Championship was concurrently held from May 24 to 27, the ABBF also barred a number of athletes from the Asian Games for reasons including: being involved in commercial ads; doping and involvement with Musclemania.

Among those affected were five Indonesians, who were deemed to have breached federation rules by taking part in Musclemania in Hong Kong in 1999.

The five -- Syafrizaldi, Hendra, Komara Ditayana, Ricky Syamsuri and Mulyono -- have been suspended for six months from ABBF-sanctioned international events.

"There are a few countries -- I don't need to mention them -- which apparently don't want Indonesia to participate in a multi- event tournament," Ade said.

He said that the Asian federation was concocting cases against the Indonesian athletes.

"Why did they come to the decision only recently while the incident took place in 1999? Why should it be six months? It looks to have been already fixed that our friends will miss out on the Asian Games by the time they complete their bans.

"I'm determined to quit. And it will also be better for Indonesia not to take part at all in the bodybuilding competition in South Korea.

"This is about pride and dignity ... our pride is being tampered with," he said.

Ade tried to remain positive saying: "One thing to have consoled me is that Indonesian bodybuilders are apparently the athletes many countries are so scared of that they have conspired to banish us."