Bodybuilding: NSC in hot water over Sarcev
By Christopher Raj
19 December, 2006
MALAYSIA’S reputation and image has been tarnished because a sloppy National Sports Council (NSC) failed to check on body-building coach Milos Sarcev’s record before recommending him to the Malaysia Body Building Federation. Apparently, Sarcev was charged for conspiracy to possess steroids in the United States two years ago.
Sarcev, who is from what was Yugoslavia, was recommended to coach Sazali Samad and Liaw Teck Leong for the just concluded Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.
The MBBF has also been told to explain why Sarcev was appointed as he has been charged in the US.
Asian Body Building Federation (ABBF) secretary-general Datuk Paul Chua yesterday confirmed that a report has been lodged with the International Body Building Federation stating its displeasure on Sarcev’s appointment by Malaysia and the coach’s outburst in Doha following Sazali’s defeat in the men’s 65kg category.
However, MBBF president Datuk Gan Boon Leong said the MBBF had no part in Sarcev’s appointment or negotiations to coach Sazali and Teck Leong.
In fact, the MBBF had distanced itself from Sarcev when he made that outburst (in Doha), but more importantly, confirmed the association was not consulted regarding his appointment.
After Sazali’s controversial defeat to Mohammed Salem Abdullah Zahmi of the United Arab Emirates in Doha, Sarcev was quoted in a local daily on Dec 9 as saying: "I am really annoyed with the judging and I will make an official complaint to the WBBF (World Body Building Federation) asking that ABBF secretary-general Paul (Chua) be removed for fixing the competitions."
According to an article in the Sioux City Journal dated Nov 29, 2005, Sarcev and another bodybuilder, Denis Tyron James, were fined US$10,000 (RM37,000) and US$1,000 (RM3,700) respectively after each had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess anabolic steroids, a misdemeanour, at the US Federal Court in Iowa City. "Who is Milos to speak on behalf of MBBF? We have never met him and we don’t know him. It was NSC that appointed him," said an irate Boon Leong.
"I am very angry and disappointed with NSC. We were not consulted about Milos at all. We appointed Patrick Chin as the team manager for Doha, but NSC dropped him, why? No explanation was given."
When contacted yesterday, Chua said: "The matter (Sarcev’s outburst) has been reported to the IBBF and definitely, action will be taken against Sarcev," said Chua who is in Kuala Lumpur for a meeting.
"We (ABBF) are also disappointed that MBBF did not carry out a thorough check before appointing Sarcev and asked for an explanation."
NSC deputy director-general Datuk Zolkples Embong said Sarcev was recommended by its Canadian conditioning consultant Joseph Dolcetti.
"Sarcev did mention the case but claimed he was cleared," said Zolkples.
"On the issue of dropping Patrick, this was done because the OCM only allows one official to represent the body builders. Since (Ahmad) Zawawi is attached to the sports science team, I felt it will be good for him to follow Milos.
"I would also like to emphasise that officials from MBBF were present at every working committee meeting that I chaired. As such, they were fully aware of what was happening."
