File picture showing then deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin helping national bodybuilder Sazali Abdul Samad put on a jacket. Sazali has been suspended for four years after a doping test came back positive. — Bernama pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 — The country’s top national bodybuilder Sazali Samad has been suspended for four years after testing positive for doping.

The suspension took effect from the date the test results were released on Sept 22.

Malaysia Bodybuilding Association (PBBM) deputy president, Datuk Dr Ahmad Badrus Othman said Sazali was only aware the supplement he took contained banned substances after the Anti-Doping Agency of Malaysia (Adamas) released the test results.

He said Sazali accepted the test results without protest, adding that the 48-year-old athlete also did not intend to open sample B for testing.

He said Sazali was not aware that the supplement he was taking contained prohibited substances and the athlete also did not refer to the National Sports Institute on the supplement.

“We accepted Sazali’s explanation that he did not intentionally take substances but it was due to his own negligence.

“Sazali is a very disciplined bodybuilder, he had brought honours to the country... we understand he regretted what had happened,” he told reporters at the Desa Tasik Sports Complex in Sungai Besi here today. Sazali was not present at the media conference.

Ahmad Badrus said there was still a future for Sazali in bodybuilding after the suspension as he could compete in the senior or masters category.

“Sazali is still training as usual, he is very disciplined, PBBM also has talented junior bodybuilders such as Sazali, give us one year,” he said.

PBBM conducted a doping test on Sept 1 before the contingent left for Tashkent, Uzbekistan to participate in the 49th Asian Bodybuilding Championships from Sept 29 to Oct 5.

Sazali was never exempted from the anti-doping test with Adamas and each year, he was tested at least twice before the Asian and World championships.

Sazali won the Mr Universe title 10 times, in Melaka in 2000, Moscow, Russia (2004), Ostrava, Czech Republic (2006), Jeju, South Korea (2007), Dubai (2009), Varanasi, India (2010), Melaka (2011), Bangkok, Thailand (2012), Budaors, Hungary (2013), and Mumbai, India (2014).

He was also called the ‘Iron Man of Malaysia’ after winning the Mr Asia title nine times in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014. — Bernama