Instead, they shook hands.

Recalling the feud, Azman said, through his recent appeal to the association read out yesterday by a committee member, he was instigated to fight the SBBF and subsequently landed in trouble with the law.

'I realise that I had caused a lot of damage to the federation.

'I have learnt and would venture from my experience to offer some words of advice to like-minded athletes who have inclinations to be belligerent that it's not worthwhile to fight your federation.'

It would not do anyone any good, he added.

Most of all, it seems to himself, separated as he was for six long years from the sport that gave him so much joy and fame. In July 1997, he was acquitted after an eight-day trial in which he was accused of giving false information to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau in April 1996.

His lawyer Mr Edmond Pereira argued that the prosecution had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Azman had given false information, knowing that it was false. Azman told a CPIB investigator that after he won the top prize of US$5,000 (S$7,100) in the Pro-M Classics in Malacca in June 1993, Chua gave him only US$4,000.

He said Chua had entertained the competition's judges, and that was why he won.

He also told the same investigator that Chua wanted another $3,000 two months later to help ensure him victory in the World Games in Holland.

Azman told the court he realised he made mistakes in his statement and went back to the CPIB to amend it, only to be questioned by another officer and later charged. Mr Pereira also said that Azman feared the SBBF chief and preferred to give him a share of the prize money than to risk being left out when Chua chose the bodybuilders to represent Singapore in international competitions.

But the prosecution said Azman gave false information knowingly because he had an axe to grind and was angry with Chua for failing to help Azman's good friend, woman bodybuilder JoJo Sinclair, when she tested positive for a banned muscle-enhancing drug in November 1995.

Sinclair was subsequently banned for life, and the SBBF's affiliation with the Singapore Sports Council was suspended for one year. Yesterday, the 1993 Sportsman of the Year said he withdrew all allegations, apologised unreservedly to the association and Chua.

'I have to catch up on lost time entirely through my own folly and shortcomings,' he said.

Chua accepted Azman's public act of contrition although he seemed guardedly mollified.

'I am human and I still remember the emotions I went through during the trial,' he said.

'I can forgive but I cannot forget those difficult times I went through with my federation to clear our names. It was a test of the highest degree. Now the sea is calm and the sun in shining again.' Azman's remorse and apology is accepted by me and my colleagues.'

Now, cautioned the president, who is a towering presence in Singapore bodybuilding, Azman's repentance must be demonstrated sincerely for the sake of the sport and Singapore.

And so, after Azman's letter was read out, he was asked if he would take part in the South-East Asia Games in Vietnam from Dec 5 to 13.

'I have another five months to train. It all depends on whether I can meet the requirements,' he replied.

Chua agreed. 'There will be no exceptions or special treatment for him,' he said of Singapore's most successful bodybuilder.