Sri Lankan bodybuilder Lucion Pushparaj today accused the Sri Lanka Body Building Federation of attempting to prevent him from representing the island nation at an international bodybuilding event scheduled to be held in USA.

Pushparaj, who won gold at 51st Asian Body Building and Physiques Sports Championship held in South Korea recently, has been invited to represent Sri Lanka at the ‘Mr & Ms Atlas and Fitness Expo’ at the Arlington Convention Center, USA. 

He claims that the federation had petitioned the Global Bodybuilding Organisation, the organizers of the event, against allowing him from taking part. He said that his VISA application was rejected as a result of this while his sponsor had to make a great effort in order to get his VISA the second time.

Speaking to Ada Derana, he said that this had been confirmed when he contacted the organizers who inquired from him as to whether he was banned from competing in Sri Lanka, whether he has permission and if he took performance-enhancing drugs. 

He stated that only the Sri Lanka Body Building Federation talks about and knows about these bans and accusations and that therefore he is positive that it is the same people who are attempting to obstruct his path this time around as well. 

Pushparaj, who has succeeded in getting VISA to travel to the US for the event scheduled to be held on December 25, stated that he aims to bring home the title of ‘Mr Atlas’ and that he is a hundred percent sure that he will be able to return back to Sri Lanka victorious.  

Lucion Pushparaj is a Professional Bodybuilder from Sri Lanka who was awarded IFBB Pro status in 2012. Lucion won his first major competition by winning a gold medal in the 2014 Mr. Sri Lanka contest.  In that same year, he also won a gold medal in the IFBB Pro Championship held in Oman, and later - a silver medal in the IFBB Asian Championship. 

He won gold at 51st Asian Body Building and Physiques Sports Championship held in South Korea this year.