What’s Next For Hadi Choopan?

This is a question I’ve been struggling with since it became 100% clear Hadi wasn’t competing. I know he said he wasn’t coming. I know the media said he wasn’t coming. That’s all fine and dandy, but bodybuilding has become a sport of surprises. Just look at what Behrouz Tabani did at the China Pro. He was denied for a visa, and then re-applied. And just like that! He got the visa, was on a plane, and hit the ground running. Not only was he able to compete, but he won his Olympia qualification. It was almost like there was a plane and a pilot on standby, telling the 200+ passengers to hurry up and wait because they were waiting for the big man. As whimsical as that sounds, so too, does the idea of reapplying for a visa and getting approved sounds to me. It’s like they don’t have computers in Iran? There’s no log of a rejected visa? I get that most countries aren’t as advanced as the United States, but it’s like Zamunda over there. And not only that, but did we forget about the pandemic? How many physiques were ruined by the sheer uncertainty of whether contests were going to happen or not? You want to talk about spiked cortisol levels? Then let’s talk about the very reason for the whole prep suddenly being put in limbo. It’s enough to make you spill over, balloon up, and lose every visible line. Your nerves would be wrecked, but not Behrouz’s. Then there’s the last-minute flying, that would make most guys hold water and lose their shit – but not Behrouz. It was like he was unphased, landed, and won. So again, if Behrouz could compete at the 11^th hour, then so could a past Mr. Olympia and Arnold Classic champion at the Superbowl of Bodybuilding. That was a pretty long tangent, but I don’t regret taking you guys on it. It’s important because Hadi could’ve competed but just gave up trying. At least that’s how I see it.

Hadi’s announcement about not getting a visa seemed almost convenient. I must admit, I’ve become far more skeptical in my relative old age. Whereas I used to roll my eyes at conspiracy theories, now I embrace them. The Persian Wolf not being at the ’26 O still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. He was firing on all cylinders. The guy was ready. Why didn’t his camp try harder? Well, that might be because his camp no longer has Hany Rambod. I’m sure they’re still friends, but that drama from last year still lingers on in my humble opinion. Hadi’s image took a hit with the Iranians in exile. These folks didn’t take too kindly to his position. Even in Iran we saw his posters being torn down from gyms.

Hadi is in a unique position when it comes to the politics of bodybuilding. Most writers won’t touch this topic with a ten-foot pole, but given my hiatus, exile, shelving, I can speak more freely. Choopan is a bit of an anomaly. They want him to compete, and they’ll reward him with the great placings at the O, but how many times as he been able to win – and hasn’t? Even the year that Derek beat him, I had Hadi winning. And that’s no knock on Derek, but this isn’t personal. Shawn Ray is 100% right on that one! Bodybuilders today cannot process criticism. Derek looked phenomenal the year he won, but he was in 2^nd place in my opinion. That still means he was the best bodybuilder on the planet, save for one man. Still, if Derek sees or hears anyone say that he’s likely to throw a temper tantrum. If that happens, so be it. I’m a writer, but not a babysitter.

Hadi should never have lost the Sandow, but he did. And we know that the sport has only had two men in 60+ years win it, lose it, and get it back. That 2^nd man was Derek. So far, guys like Samson and Hadi have not had that luck. And I suspect Choopan never will. Therefore, it becomes an issue of figuring out what’s the best course of action to take. It’s not just about Hadi, it’s about all former Mr. O’s. The odds are stacked against them in being the best again. I mean look at Big Ramy; he doesn’t even bother talking about competing again. Look at Phil Heath. If Phil couldn’t regain the title in 2020, why bother trying again? Brandon keeps competing and it probably works out for him and his business ventures. The same with Dexter Jackson. Dexter competed for years after winning and losing his Olympia title. But maybe it doesn’t make sense for Hadi. Maybe we’ll never see him compete at the Olympia again – or – maybe this was just a visa issue.

My personal belief is that if something is truly unattainable, what’s the point in putting yourself through the ringer in hopes of getting there? At some point, you have to come to grips with reality. It’s also not just about money in vs money out, but there’s also a health aspect. Hadi is no spring chicken and if winning the O isn’t in the cards for him, how long will he put his body and joints through the rigorous process of competing? He’s already a Mr. O and an Arnold champion. His proverbial ticket has been carved in stone – he’s set for life. So how many more Olympia preps is he going to embark on? How many more times will he leave his family to travel halfway around the world to get a silver or bronze medal? Will it take Hadi placing 4^th, 5^th, or maybe even outside of the Top 6 to get the message? I would hate to see Hadi at 6^th or much worse 7^th or 8^th. And not only could it happen, but it’s conceivable. That’s just wild in my opinion, but there comes a point in time when the former Mr. O’s are between 6^th and 10^th – no matter how great they look. Brandon is currently charting those waters. And The Prodigy looks phenomenal. And others don’t look so great. Look at poor Samir Bannout. Towards the last Olympias, he was well outside the Top 10. You never want to see a Mr. O fall like that. And even if they’re just competing for fun, I’ll reiterate, you never want to see a Mr. Olympia outside the Top 10. Not ever! Not under any circumstances!!! That’s why I applaud Dexter for retiring after he placed 9^th at his last O.

And we can’t gloss over the emotional aspect that’s involved. When loved ones get behind an athlete, they’re rooting for a win. Significant others, family, friends, workout partners and fans are all cheering. Every time the athlete comes up short, that takes a toll. What’s worse is if Hadi deserved the win but didn’t get it for whatever reason. Maybe you don’t like the term politics, ok, that’s fine. Maybe Hadi keeps losing because of the weather, maybe it’s because of the Earth’s solar axis. Whatever you want to call it, it is just plain weird. How many more times does Hadi want to get kicked in the nuts before he says uncle. I just don’t know. Some of these guys compete and compete and compete, never realizing that the dark cloud that follows them around everywhere never goes away. Am I being too skeptical? Am I being paranoid? Well, in 60+ years, only two men have won back the Sandow. And even when Big Ramy looked like trash in 2021, he won the O again. In 2022, he snubbed the wrong folks, lost his title, and placed 5^th. Coincidence? Maybe, it was the weather again.

The fact is Hadi didn’t compete at the 2026 Olympia because of a visa issue. Do you think he’ll compete in 2027? 2028? He probably will, but would I be surprised if he retired before the 2027 Olympia? I, personally, would not be.

But what say you? As always, thank you for reading my article – here at IronMag. Please be sure to copy and paste a link to this article on all your social media feeds. It’s bound to generate lively conversation.

Author Bio:

Christian I. Duque is the owner of StrengthAddicts.com, a physique and strength website founded in 2008. He has worked for a number of bodybuilding websites, including RX Muscle and Muscular Development. Christian has written nearly 1,000 published articles for IronMag Blog, as well as articles for StrengthAddicts, RX Muscle, and others. By day, he is also a licensed attorney practicing in the areas of family law, immigration, and criminal defense.