38 Friday Sports Friday, May 1, 2020 Ripped not RIP’d: Myanmar’s former ‘Mr Burma’ still pumping iron at 91 Barrel-chested nonagenarian’s career has spanned 70 years YANGON: Flexing his oiled, bulging biceps A bodybuilding show he saw as a young and pecs, 91-year-old one-time bodybuilding soldier in 1950 proved to be an epiphany, champion Sein Maung admires himself in the and there has been no looking back. With his mirror before starting to pump iron in his career skyrocketing in the 1960s, he even Myanmar gym. The barrel-chested nonage- starred in two movies and became body- narian’s career has spanned some 70 years, building coach for Miss Burma beauty pag- both pre-dating and outlasting the country’s eant contestants. half- of junta rule. Meanwhile in 1962 — the same year the But he describes the late 1950s as his military took over in a coup — he set up a heyday, when he bagged a medal at the 1958 gym in commercial hub Yangon that still runs Burmese “Mr Olympic” contest before being today. Once there used to be around 200 crowned “Mr Burma” a year later. members, he says somewhat wistfully, but “All of my brothers died in their 70s, but now only a handful remain, mostly women I’m still here,” he tells AFP proudly, putting also in their later years. his hearty longevity down to a disciplined He admits his fiery temperament might be lifestyle based around religion, diet and ex- to blame for his fitness centre’s dwindling ercise. Buddhist prayers begin each work- popularity. “I get so angry and tell people to out before he greases up and starts get out if they don’t take bodybuilding seri- gruelling sets of chest presses, deadlifts and ously. I can’t control my temper.” bicep curls. Like most in the city, the gym currently Myanmar has a robust bodybuilding cul- lies shuttered due to coronavirus fears. Yet ture, and competitions held at malls often Sein Maung says he is continuing with his draw enthusiastic crowds to cheer on prayers, protein-based diet and strict fitness sculpted men in speedos — an incongruous regime at home to keep his immune system sight in the socially conservative country. as strong as possible. Before he even knew it was a bona fide He shrugs off concerns about the virus. “I sport, Sein Maung says as a teenager he know it’s mostly elderly people who are YANGON: This photo taken on February 7, 2020 shows 91-year-old bodybuilder Sein Maung would hulk heavy blocks of wood around his dying. But I’m not worried just because I’m working out with weights at his gym, which has since been closed due to fears about the small village in rural Ayeyarwaddy region. in my 90s. I’m not afraid to die.” — AFP spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, in Yangon. — AFP

on the list does not mean you cannot be se- Mitchell gets lected to represent Australia,” Hohns said. UK Athletics hands over Salazar endured his own period in the Australia contract, wilderness when he was not offered a contract last year but Hohns said his form showed “he file to British anti-doping agency has a lot of international ahead of him Khawaja axed as a all-rounder”. : UK Athletics said Wednesday to see the original report in full after UK Prolific middle-order batsman Marnus it had at last handed over an internal re- Athletics merely provided an edited sum- Labuschagne was, as expected, among the : All-rounder Mitchell Marsh re- port into its relationship with banned mary. UK Athletics responded by saying new faces, along with , , turned to ’s list of 20 nation- American coach Alberto Salazar during it was “wholly wrong and inaccurate” to and . “Mar- ally contracted players yesterday, but there the time he worked with track star Mo suggest they were “being obstructive in nus’s rise has been meteoric and well docu- was no room for his brother Shaun or strug- Farah to Britain’s national anti-doping this matter,” with chief executive Joanna mented,” Hohns said. gling batsman . agency. Coates saying earlier this month the re- “Joe has been a good Test match player, The older Marsh sibling and Khawaja were The report dates back to 2015 and was port would go to UKAD just as soon as Ashton Agar’s form in T20 internationals has among six players axed from a group that se- prompted by a BBC documentary on all confidentiality procedures had been been exceptional, while Kane Richardson has Salazar. The disgraced coach is currently completed. lectors loaded with limited-overs talent to re- been outstanding in the T20 and one-day serving a four-year ban imposed by the UK Athletics confirmed Wednesday flect Australia’s upcoming schedule, games.” Uncertainty hangs over the cricket United States Anti-Doping Agency in the report had been sent over, a statement particularly the World Cup sched- calendar and the Twenty20 World Cup be- October for offences that include traffick- saying: “UKA can confirm that the 2015 uled for October-November. cause of the coronavirus pandemic. ing in testosterone, tampering with the report has been provided to UKAD. “With many of the squad crossing into all Australia’s tour to England for three one- doping control process and administering “UKA remains fully committed to pro- three formats it gives us the benefit of being dayers and three Twenty20 matches in July is illicit infusions of the fat-burning sub- tecting the integrity of the sport and the able to add in specialists depending on the in jeopardy after the England and Wales stance L-carnitine. pursuit of clean athletics and we will con- opposition and the conditions,” chief selector Cricket Board delayed the start of their season Salazar, who denies wrongdoing, has tinue to assist UKAD with any further said in a statement. until at least July 1. appealed against the ban to the Court of queries.” “The depth of this squad and the success Australia contracted players: Ashton Agar, Arbitration for Sport. Just over a month Four-time Olympic gold medallist of the past 12 months gives us that solid base.” Joe Burns, , , Aaron ago, an independent review of both the Farah, twice champion at both the 5,000 Others dropped from the list — which forms Finch, , , Marnus 2015 report and another undertaken two and 10,000 metres, worked with Salazar the core of Australia’s international squads — Labuschagne, , Mitchell Marsh, years later, was published. from 2011-2017. The British distance were , , , , , But United Kingdom Anti-Doping ex- great, who has never failed a drugs test, is Nathan Coulter-Nile and Marcus Harris. , Kane Richardson, Steven ecutive chief Nicole Sapstead demanded not accused of any wrongdoing. — AFP “As is always the case there are unlucky Smith, , Matthew Wade, David omissions but, however, because you are not Warner, . — AFP