by Christian Duque
I know this may come as a huge shock to many bodybuilding fans around the world but the sport is not based in the United States. Well, it sort of is and it sort of isn’t. It’s based in the United States in that that we have the Arnold Classic, the New York Pro, and of course the Mr Olympia but it is not based in the United States in the sense that the majority of athletes are not American. In fact professional athletes come from all over the world, including countries that do not have the best relationships with the United states – case in point, Iran.
When it comes to foreign policy and diplomatic relations there aren’t too many countries that are more distant in terms of relations than Iran and the United states. I guess another country on an equal footing would be North Korea. But since we don’t really see a lot of North Korean bodybuilders on stages around the world it isn’t very much of an issue. On the other hand Iran is a glaring focal point for the sport of bodybuilding and other physique-based divisions. After all, Hadi is a former Mr Olympia, as former as just a couple of years ago. And he hails from Iran. And Behrooz, who this article is about is also from that country. And it becomes an issue when a guy like Behrooz is winning shows all around the world but cannot get a visa to come to the biggest show in the sport of his passion.
The reality of the matter is that bodybuilding as a sport is also very much a niche category. In other words we can’t compare it to soccer or basketball or baseball. It’s also not the kind of athletic discipline that would get embassies involved or the state department. And this is why we are constantly faced with a dilemma regarding international athletes. And then there is of course the bigger question of why is the Olympia is always in the United States. It didn’t used to be that way but that has been the norm for probably the last 20 if not 25 years or more. Since I don’t see the Olympia going elsewhere, we just need to talk more about the international athletes’ experience insofar as getting visas and being able to compete consistently throughout the year.
I mean even if the Olympia were just across the border in Canada International athletes would have no issue ingressing and egressing. Visas would be very easy to obtain. But then again when was the last time the Olympia was held in Canada? I don’t think it ever has been. Or what about if it was held south of the border in Mexico? I don’t think that has happened either. So I think it’s safe to say that the Olympia isn’t going anywhere. Maybe it’ll take a ride on the wild side and relocate to Orlando, but that’s about as far away as it’ll get from Las Vegas. It’s not going International anytime soon.
Therefore, athletes from countries like Iran have to make a very serious decision. I think we all know what that is. They can either emigrate to the United States (or to a more American-friendly country) or to western Europe or southeast Asia. Otherwise, they can simply take their chances year after year. And some years guys like Behrooz simply cannot come across. Even guys like Hadi for many years had to sit on the sidelines because they couldn’t, either. I mean if a guy can’t get a visa from France or the United Kingdom in time, imagine the dire straits they find themselves in trying to get one from Iran!!
Short of moving to the United States and doing what other guys from other countries have done to all but guarantee their ability to compete it really doesn’t leave a lot of options for competitors like Behrooz or even like Hadi. Imagine being able to say that you won the biggest title in your sport and still not be able to have an automatic visa. And Hadi won the Olympia in 2022 and then won the Arnold Classic, the second biggest title in bodybuilding in 2024. To say that he has won the two biggest shows in bodybuilding, that he is an international name, and that he is an ambassador of sorts for a sport throughout the world you would think would have diplomats racing to their phones and emails in the hopes of facilitating travel but that’s just not the case.
Once again we have to state the obvious. Bodybuilding may have grown gradually over the last 10, 20, maybe even 30 years, but is still nowhere near the level of mainstream sports. And in reality, mainstream sports do not offer a tremendous difference either. The only time sports really come into play would be for something like the Olympics or the Pan American Games or something on that level. Even regular mainstream sports just don’t have the kind of influence that many of us seem to believe that they have. And it could even be teams that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars in ticket sales and branding deals. Diplomats are not impressed by all of that. They are impressed by power, influence, International trade. Sporting events take a very distant backseat.
This is why we have seen guys like Behrooz leave no stone unturned. In fact he has even been involved with a petition. Petitions are great and all, but world leaders could really care less. They get petitions all the time for everything from civil rights to global warming to equal pay and then some. If they even take notice of the petition that would be a huge win but in reality petitions usually while very well intentioned oftentimes don’t lead to anything. I would say that a petition at most could have an impact on a city council meeting or a school board meeting but once you start talking about states, countries, and international relations – a petition is not going to do a thing.
I know that I sound probably like the world’s biggest pessimist but I’m a realist. And if you’re going to compete in bodybuilding you have to live either in the United States or in a country that has good relations to this country. I know that sounds really arrogant and conceited but again I’m a realist. If you take anything away from my article it’s that you have to be a realist especially when you are investing so much time, money, and effort into being able to get on stage and battle for a title and top honors. Because in the end that’s what this all comes down to. The 12, 14 or 16 weeks of preparations, all the food, all the drugs, all those hours posing under the lights in front of the mirror trying to replicate what it’s going to feel like being on stage in front of a panel of judges – it all comes down to being able to show up on that stage. And until a day comes when you can compete by Zoom, you need to have your travel arrangements down pat. That is going to be a given. So while my heart breaks for guys from countries that the United States wouldn’t piss on if they were on fire, they really have only themselves to blame.
Look at Brandon, Brandon was willing to leave his family behind with their blessing to go to Kuwait for months out of the year to train. That is a sacrifice. And an even bigger sacrifice would be to uproot and move to another country. That’s going to split up your family, it’s going to make you less accessible to your friends, it’s definitely not a cakewalk. But it comes down to how badly do you want it? If it was me I would choose family and friends everyday of the week. It’s not a decision that I would make for a bodybuilding title. But I’m also not a professional bodybuilder at the elite level and I’m not competing to be the best in the world. It comes down to sacrifice. And a guy like Behrooz who has actually had to sit on the sidelines because he couldn’t get a visa years prior now is probably thinking after a tremendous 2024 is it going to happen again for this year’s Olympia? And honestly, I just don’t know. I don’t think anyone really does.
So again without sounding like an American snob or a Western European one and without sounding overly pessimistic, I think that for international guys from countries like Iran moving to the United States or moving somewhere friendlier to the West wouldn’t be the worst idea. On the flip side it really just comes down to luck. And I can only Imagine what the waiting game, the uncertainty, and the psychological fog must be doing to Behrooz’s prep and anyone in Behrooz’s situation. It’s a very, very unpleasant experience to go through – I’m sure. For whatever it’s worth I hope that he is able to get his visa and compete at the Olympia. We will keep our fingers crossed.
What say you? Should athletes from countries that are hostile to the United States consider making the move to friendlier countries? Do you think petitions matter? Do you think bodybuilding has grown to the point where competing at the Olympia might be of interest to the bigwigs that make the decisions on visas? As always I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments and I greatly appreciate you reading my article, here, at IronMagazine.
