Syarul hopes bodybuilding will be included in KL SEA Games
Twotime Asian champion Syarul Azman Mike Mahen is hoping that bodybuilding and physique sports will be contested in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games next year.
The biennial meet will have 38 sports – but not bodybuilding.
Bodybuilding was last contested was at the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar, where Wong Hong delivered Malaysia’s only gold medal in the 90kg (heavyweight) category.
Syarul said it was the hope of the entire bodybuilding community that the sport will be included in what will be the country’s biggest multisport meet next year.
“The national bodybuilders are hoping that the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin will reconsider including bodybuilding and physique sports in the SEA Games.
“We have proven on a few occasions that we can win at the Asian level.
“If we get to compete on the SEA Games stage, I’m confident we can contribute more than one gold medal, based on what we achieved at the recent Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships in Thimphu, Bhutan.
“The reason they’ve given for not including bodybuilding was that of Sazali Samad’s doping case.
“But it’s unfair to punish us just because of his case.
“We were tested in our own country before we went to the Asian meet.
“We’ve shown that Sazali is not the only Malaysian bodybuilder who can win medals ... and I’m sad that we cannot contribute at our own SEA Games next year,” said Syarul, who returned home on Friday.
At the Asian meet, Syarul retained his Asian title in the men’s athletic physique (up to 170cm) event while Sarawakborn Buda Anchah flexed his way to two gold medals.
Buda came out tops in the men’s Masters and men’s 70kg (lightweight) categories while Muhammad Roszaimi earned a bronze in the men's 55kg (flyweight).