With the 2026 Portugal Pro in the record books, many bodybuilding fans are starting to get nervous with regards one of their favorite Iranian stars. Although Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan is the most popular Persian bodybuilders in the world, Behrouz is gaining a tremendous fanbase in his own right. And much like Choopan, Tabani refuses to move to a friendlier country. Many of the questions posed in articles about Hadi over the years, will be posed in this article about Behrouz. Although his situation is far more complex and we’ll of course discuss that as well. One very telling point of reference is the current World Cup and the alleged mistreatment of the Iranian team. We’re not going to address those issues because they’re largely argumentative, but suffice it to say that when two countries are at war, it will create undoubted tension at all levels – including the athletic world. Could the tension be so powerful that it keeps athletes out? That’s a little bit more tricky, and we’ll definitely tackle that question as well. One thing that’s worth mentioning from the get go goes beyond merely qualifying. What if Behrooz does qualify – possibly at the China show – but then can’t get into the United States for the O? Hell, we’ve seen competitors from strong ally countries like France and the UK not be able to get in. Granted, those issues are more related to timeliness or maybe personal matters affecting each athlete, but just because countries have great ties doesn’t translate to hassle-free travel for athletes.
As I’ve often said in articles such as this, nobody would ever require a competitor to leave their homeland in order to be a successful professional physique-based athlete. That’s absolutely outrageous. However, I do believe that if folks come from a country that does not have good relations with the United States, and they want to compete on American stages, it would behoove them to consider either moving to the United States or moving to a US-friendly country. And you can tell which countries are on good terms simply by looking at the news. For example, a year ago we were on the verge of war with Venezuela. Today, they are friends of ours. Right now we’re actively involved in a war with Iran. Even though there are negotiations and there are ceasefires, there are also flare-ups. The reality of the matter is with the exception of North Korea, Iran is probably the most hostile country to the United States in the world. This does not mean that the people of Iran are hostile to the United States nor does it mean that its athletes are, but the two countries have very tense relations at this time. The countries are at war. So that’s going to have an effect on visas – not only to the United States – but to U.S. allies in Europe and throughout the world. And that might explain why Behrouz has not been able to get a visa to compete in Portugal. He may also not get a visa to compete in China. Now China and Iran have great ties, or at least it seems, but this is where bodybuilding gets complicated because now we’re talking about international relations, history, and current events. That’s an awful lot of speculation for a competitor just trying to get a qualification to the Olympia. Sadly, that’s where we are at this point in time.
And it should also be noted that just because the Iranian soccer team was able to come into the United States to play at the World Cup that does not mean that Iranian bodybuilders are going to be afforded the same opportunity. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Bodybuilding isn’t even considered a sport by some of its own adherents. That’s right! There is a segment of the physique industry that sees bodybuilding as a discipline and there’s another segment that sees it as a sport. So imagine the very niche type nature of the sport. Could you imagine trying to convince diplomatic teams that there is a need to make an exception for muscular people to compete in a muscle pageant and to create a sense of urgency in order to ensure that said travel credentials are granted. I’m just saying it’s a shot in the dark. The odds are not very good.
And this is another reason why I have always advocated for competitors that come from countries that have tense relationships with the United States to consider emigrating either to a US friendly country or to the United States. Now that’s a lot easier said than done because a lot of people don’t want to leave their family behind, or they don’t want to leave their friends behind, or they don’t want to leave their way of life behind. And I totally understand that, but if you’re going to compete in a sport that’s dominated by the United States, then these are decisions you have to make. Because at the end of the day the biggest three contests in bodybuilding are all in the United States. The Olympia, the Arnold Classic (Columbus), and the New York Pro. Dubai is a big show but it’s not a Big 3 show. The same thing goes for Prague, it’s another great show, but it’s not a Big 3 show and the Big 3 aside, every bodybuilder on the planet wants to compete at Mr Olympia. That is after all the Super Bowl of the sport. And that, too, is in the United States.
So I think it’s safe to say that we have established that bodybuilding is not going to have the same kind of pull that soccer has, but there is another distinction that has to be made. Whereas Hadi Choopan may get lucky and has been lucky in years past, he’s a former Mr. Olympia and former Arnold Classic champion. Although Behrouz is really coming up the ranks and has a great look, he lacks the starpower of Choopan. This sounds very cold but this is the reality. We’re not talking about the best of a given country or somebody that is a household name. And again not a household name in mainstream homes, but a household name in the sport. There’s a stark difference between Tabani and Choopan.
We’re also in July now and the Olympia is fast approaching. It’s in less than a hundred days. That may seem like an eternity but it’s not. In fact, it’s getting closer by the day. Obviously, what I mean by that is that before you know it, it’s going to be August and then September and qualification opportunities are drying up. So basically from what I gather for Behrouz it’s going to be China or bust. But assuming that he even qualifies in China, what’s he going to do when it’s time to apply for a visa to come to the United States? If you couldn’t get a visa to go to Portugal, I highly doubt he’ll get one in the United States. In the end they’re both NATO countries and NATO does not have a lot of love for Iran right now nor vice versa. We have got to look beyond simply one man’s application. There’s so much more going on in the world right now that could affect this.
Do I think that Behrouz will somehow get to China and then get to the United States? Let’s just say that I am cautiously optimistic. I would love to see him compete on the biggest stage on the planet. Not only because he deserves it, but because the fans deserve it. This is a competitor that has earned a loyal following through the tried and true method of cutting his teeth with tough placings and coming back better and better. Tabani is not a whiner, he’s not someone looking for a handout, and he’s certainly not a quitter. It just seems like so much added stress. It’s bad enough that the number of qualifying shows are running out but then to not even know if you can compete whether or not you win is really, really difficult to deal with. Imagine going to sleep each night with that lingering doubt. Imagine winning a qualifying show and then having a whole other mountain of worries to overcome because you don’t know if you’re even going to be able to get to the O. Again, it’s not an existence I would wish on my worst enemy. I really feel bad for Behrouz, but we will continue to report closely on this story. I know the fans are rooting for him and we are rooting for him. At the end of the day, bodybuilding isn’t about politics or international relations. It’s the universal sport of muscle. Sadly, bodybuilding has to take a back seat to international affairs, just like soccer and any other sport. Because that’s just the way the world works.
Do you think Behrouz will be able to qualify and compete at the 2026 Mr. Olympia? And if so, where do you think he’ll place. As always, I hope you enjoyed reading my article, here, at IronMag. I look forward to reading your feedback in the comment. 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.
