Mr Universe robbed, says coach

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 (Reuters) The furious coach of Malaysia's world amateur bodybuilding champion Sazali Abdul Samad branded the Asian Games competition a disgrace today.

Sazali, who won the amateur 'Mr Universe' title in the Czech Republic in October, had to settle for silver in the 65kg category after judges awarded gold to Mohammed Salem Abdullah Zahmi of the United Arab Emirates.

''It's a total disgrace,'' Milos Sarcev raged in The Star newspaper. ''There is no aspect in which Sazali could lose even by a point to the Arab.'' Sarcev said he had never witnessed biased judging once in his 15-year career as a coach before the Doha Games and that he would be taking the matter up with the sport's governing bodies.

''I heard that it happens in Asia but this is the first time I have witnessed it. What a disgrace,'' he said.

Poor judging was a feature of the whole competition in the Qatari capital, he added.

''In the 75kg, the Singaporean (Chua Ling Fung) won the title although he has no muscles.'' Malaysia's National Sports Council (NSC) also weighed in.

''Sazali was the clear favourite and they fixed it to give the UAE athlete the gold,'' said Zolkples Embong, the NSC's deputy director general.

Reuters SAM GC1945