ARNIE UPSETS LAWMAKERS BY ATTENDING BODYBUILDING CONVENTION

Action man-turned-California Governor ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER has angered his political critics by agreeing to attend the body-building convention he co-founded this weekend (04-06MAR05).

The TERMINATOR star has been condemned by top lawmakers for planning to attend an event that supports the controversial steroids-in-sports issue.

Schwarzenegger, who recently confessed he had taken doctor-supervised steroids as a bodybuilder to keep his body in top form, is also being criticised for taking a fee from the ARNOLD FITNESS WEEKEND in Columbus, Ohio.

One of the Governor's chief critics, Penn State University scholar PROFESSOR CHARLES YESALIS (corr), says, "It's tremendously unfortunate that he's not using his celebrity, his status as an icon, in a way that could really help stem the epidemic of steroid use among our young people."

Meanwhile, LARRY NOBLE, the executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington D.C. tells newspaper the LOS ANGELES TIMES, "It's unusual for a governor to promote a commercial event in which they have a financial stake. It's totally inappropriate."

Bodybuilders, who attend the annual event can compete in the Arnold Classic, which offers a $100,000 (GBP52,630) cash prize and a Hummer vehicle.