Beefcake Clad in Boxing Trunks X-Rated for Troops in Saudi Sands

The Army turned down an offer to send copies of Boxing Illustrated Magazine to U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia because the Saudis would consider it pornographic, an Army Library spokeswoman said today.

Under guidelines set by the Army after U.S. troops were sent to Saudi Arabia following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, a magazine with pictures of men wearing only boxing trunks would “be offensive to the Saudis and would be considered pornographic,” said Nell Strickland, chief of the Army General Library Program.

“We were told that nothing of the human anatomy from the neck to the knee and from shoulder to shoulder could be shown,” Strickland said, adding that the ruling is under review and that she expects the Army to modify it.

She said that in the future, soldiers might be allowed to receive specially packaged magazines that would be rigorously monitored to prevent them from being seen by the general Saudi population. Bert Sugar, publisher of Boxing Illustrated, said that about two months ago he offered to send 100,000 back copies of his monthly magazine to American soldiers in Saudi Arabia.

“These were fighting men so I thought the magazine would be appropriate,” Sugar said.

Sugar, known as much for his irreverent quips as his encyclopedic knowledge of boxing, added: “I have waited this long in my life to be called pornographic. It’s wonderful! What is the Army going to send the troops--’Pilgrims Progress’?”