Muralitharan's ultra-flexible bowling action has come under its heaviest scrutiny in Australia, where he has been called for throwing on two tours, prompting him to boycott Sri Lanka's 2004 tour here.
Even Australian Prime Minister John Howard joined in by labelling him a "chucker."
But Moody, who resigned after a successful stint as Sri Lanka coach to take up a coaching role with Western Australia, claims Murali's bowling action is more legal than those of some other international cricketers.
"As an Australian when I have been with the Sri Lankan team in Australia, or playing against them in the World Cup, it's the only situation we find in the whole of the cricketing world where we have this disgraceful slant on a cricketer," Moody told The Australian newspaper Saturday.
"My take on it, and I hope I'm right, and I've shared this with Murali, is that it's Australia's nature to show that response in a way of respect and acknowledgement of someone who is pretty special and unique.
"I don't know if I'm right. I hope I'm right because at times I've found it incredibly embarrassing."
Moody, a World Cup winner with Australia in 1999, puts this attitude down to the competition between Murali and Australia's retired champion spinner Shane Warne, who is the world's leading wicket-taker with 708.
Murali is second with 674, but given the amount he bowls and the rate at which he takes his wickets, he is likely to pass Warne within a year.
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