S’pore Sports Council strips bodybuilding federation of NSA status

SINGAPORE — The scandal-ridden Singapore Bodybuilding Federation (SBBF) has suffered the ignominy of becoming the first national sports association (NSA) to have its NSA status revoked by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC).

In a media release yesterday, the SSC said that it was stripping the SBBF of its status with immediate effect as it feels that the organisation “can no longer represent or serve the interest of the sport and its athletes in the capacity of a national governing body”.

“The revocation is in response to the recent developments in the SBBF, which had called into question its ability and credibility to carry out its responsibilities and obligations as the national governing body for the sport of bodybuilding,” said the statement.

The move means the SBBF can no longer send bodybuilders to represent Singapore in international competitions. It will also be ineligible to receive state funding, but financial support from the SSC had already stopped since 2010.

The writing was on the wall for the SBBF since mid-last year when its President, Mr Rano Izhar Rahmat, was revealed as an undischarged bankrupt. Then, seven of its athletes were banned for doping offences.

Another controversy hit the SBBF two months ago when Shaifulhaq Ishak, a local bodybuilder, was found to have violated his two-year ban for doping to compete in the 51st National Bodybuilding Championship, where he won the middleweight title.

He had entered the competition after Mr Rano claimed that he had lifted the ban 11 months into the suspension after counselling the 32-year-old.

Shaifulhaq had been one of seven bodybuilders who were barred from the sport for two years in August 2012 for testing positive for banned substances at the 50th national championship, held a month earlier.

The SSC said the SBBF’s credibility to function as a national governing body came into question after it failed to respond to the SSC’s concerns about doping in the sport. It was also asked to explain its de-affiliation by the Singapore National Olympic Council in September 2012 and “other governance matters”. Mr Rano, the SSC added, failed to address these concerns and issues “satisfactorily” when he met SSC officials.

In a scathing rebuke, SSC Chief of Sports Development Group Bob Gambardella said in the statement: “The leadership of SBBF has consistently shown its inability to lead the sport of bodybuilding — morally and operationally. The blatant doping violations and administrative incompetence have caused fragmentation within the bodybuilding fraternity. This decision is made to start to restore credibility and to rebuild the sport of bodybuilding.”

In the interim before a new NSA is formed, Mr Gambardella said the interest of bodybuilders will be taken over by the SSC.

Mr Rano could not be reached for comment, but with the SBBF out, the Singapore Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation (SBPSF), a rival body, is now hoping to take over the leadership. Led by Mr Kevin Chiak, it was formed 10 months ago by former SBBF members who questioned Mr Rano’s management of the NSA’s financial affairs.

Said Mr Chiak: “We’ve been writing to the SSC since October last year to consider SBPSF as an alternative body, and with the latest developments, will do so again next week. We need to help clean up bodybuilding.”