Hadi Choopan wasn’t on the stage at the 2026 Mr Olympia. The 2022 champion, who had finished second at each of the last three Olympias, withdrew in August after his UAE visa was cancelled and he was stopped from boarding a flight to Dubai, where he was due to apply for his US visa. “With a heavy heart, I have decided to withdraw from the 2026 Mr. Olympia,” he wrote. “This is not the end.”
Here’s who “The Persian Wolf” is, how tall he is, why he missed Las Vegas, and his full Olympia record.
- Born: 26 September 1987, Abnow, Fars province, Iran (39)
- Nickname: “The Persian Wolf”
- Height: 5ft 7in (170cm)
- Weight: about 200lb (91kg) on stage and 220lb (100kg) off-season, per Wikipedia
- Biggest wins: Mr Olympia (2022), Arnold Classic and Arnold Classic UK (2024)
- Mr Olympia record: 3rd (2019), 4th (2020), 3rd (2021), 1st (2022), 2nd (2023, 2024, 2025), withdrew (2026)
Who is Hadi Choopan?
Choopan was born on 26 September 1987 in Abnow, in Iran’s Fars province. He grew up poor and worked as a street peddler and on construction sites before bodybuilding, according to his Wikipedia profile. He started training in 2002 under coach Jamshid Owji and won his first national title in 2005.
He spent years as an amateur, winning the IFBB World Championships three years running from 2013 to 2015, before turning pro. He’s famous for his legs and his conditioning, and in 2022 he became the first Iranian to win the Mr Olympia. He has been coached by Hany Rambod, and for the 2026 season he teamed up with Miloš Šarčev (Fitness Volt).
Why Hadi Choopan missed the 2026 Mr Olympia
Iranian athletes need a US visa to compete in Las Vegas, and Choopan has had trouble getting one before: visa problems kept him out of major contests in 2018. This year his plan was to fly from Iran to Dubai for a US Embassy interview on 21 August, stay there while the visa was processed, then go to the US to finish his preparation.
He never got there. He wasn’t allowed to board his flight at Shiraz, or another from Tehran, and was told his 10-year UAE Golden Visa had been deactivated. “I was told that because of the current political situation and restrictions, I would not be allowed to enter the UAE,” he said (Generation Iron). With the Olympia a month away, he saw no realistic way back and withdrew on 26 August. It would have been his eighth Olympia in a row.
“This decision hurts deeply, but this is not the end,” he wrote. “When Hadi Choopan returns to the stage, he will return to win” (Fitness Volt).
A difficult year
It came after a turbulent 2026. In February some fans called for him to be removed from the Arnold Classic, alleging he supported Iran’s government during the protests there; Choopan responded: “I was silenced. I became the loneliest person on earth. Unjustly, without reason, without guilt, without mistake.” Coach Chris Aceto called the campaign “woke-ism cancel culture on steroids” (Fitness Volt).
He competed at the Arnold in March and finished third, behind Andrew Jacked and Nick Walker. Reports that he would retire afterwards were denied by his camp (Fitness Volt).
Hadi Choopan’s height, weight and age
Height: 5ft 7in (170cm), the same as 2026 champion Nick Walker.
Weight: Wikipedia lists about 200lb (91kg) on stage and 220lb (100kg) in the off-season. That’s light for an Open champion, and why his conditioning and legs, rather than sheer size, won him the title.
Age: he was born on 26 September 1987, so he turned 39 on the day of the 2026 Olympia final.
Hadi Choopan’s Mr Olympia record
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 3rd |
| 2020 | 4th |
| 2021 | 3rd |
| 2022 | 1st |
| 2023 | 2nd |
| 2024 | 2nd |
| 2025 | 2nd |
| 2026 | Withdrew (visa) |
That’s seven Olympias in a row, all top four, with one win and four podiums since 2022. Without him, Nick Walker won the 2026 title ahead of Samson Dauda and Derek Lunsford.
Train for legs like the Persian Wolf
- Our leg day workout, and how to do a Bulgarian split squat.
- Why training legs won’t shrink your arms.
- The high protein foods list, with grams per serve.
Hadi Choopan FAQ
Why wasn’t Hadi Choopan at the 2026 Mr Olympia?
His 10-year UAE Golden Visa was deactivated in August, so he couldn’t fly to Dubai for his US visa interview. He withdrew on 26 August.
Has Hadi Choopan won Mr Olympia?
Yes, in 2022. He was the first Iranian to win it.
Is Hadi Choopan retiring?
No. His camp denied retirement reports after the 2026 Arnold Classic, and when he withdrew from the Olympia he said, “When Hadi Choopan returns to the stage, he will return to win.”
How tall is Hadi Choopan?
5ft 7in (170cm).
How old is Hadi Choopan?
39. He was born on 26 September 1987.
Why is Hadi Choopan called the Persian Wolf?
It’s the nickname he competes under. He’s from Iran, historically known as Persia.
