Official of the month

Flex, Jan, 2003

Name: Paul Chua

Titles: IFBB vice president for Asia; secretary general/treasurer, Asian Bodybuilding Federation; president, South East Asian Bodybuilding Federation

History:

* Paul Chua was born in Singapore on September 2, 1941.

* Long-time chairman of Goodhealth Distributors in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

* He managed his own badminton club from 1962 to 1970.

* In 1964, he was elected secretary of a bodybuilding association.

* In 1968, he was tabbed as assistant treasurer of the Singapore Amateur Bodybuilders Association. He became its general secretary in 1971.

* In 1970, he organized the IFBB Asian Bodybuilding Championships and helped numerous Asian countries become affiliated with the IFBB.

* In 1975, he was elected secretary general/treasurer of the Asian Bodybuilding Federation, a position he still holds.

* Since 1975, he has organized several World Amateur Bodybuilding Championships, five Asian Championships, four South East Asian Championships and various regional championships.

* Mr. Chua played an instrumental role in getting bodybuilding included in the 2002 Busan Asian Games in Korea and in that year's South East Asian Games.

Awards (partial list):

* IFBB Diploma, 1975

* IFBB Certificate of Merit, 1977

* IFBB Silver Medal, 1978

* IFBB Gold Medal, 1979

* Certificate of Commendation from Singapore Sports Council, 1983

* Medal of Honor from Taiwan Amateur Sports Federation, 1986

* Oscar State Memorial Award, 1987

* Named IFBB Bodybuilding Official of the Year, 1989

* IFBB Distinguished Service Award, 1990

* IFBB Gold Order number two, 1995

* Achievement Medal number six from the IFBB, 1999

* The Order of Myanmar from the National Olympic Committee, 2001

Remarks: Paul Chua justifiably can be called the "Father of Bodybuilding and Fitness" in Asia. No single member of the IFBB Executive Council has done more to grow the sport of bodybuilding in this region of the world. He is a staunch advocate of drug-free sport and ensures that all national federations in Asia are organized and run in a professional manner. His personal qualities of persistence and dedication in the pursuit of official IFBB objectives are matched by his empathy toward bodybuilders at all levels and his readiness to personally help them achieve their goals.