Hadi Choopan is returning to the Mr. Olympia stage in 2026, teaming up with veteran coach Milos Sarcev. The Iranian bodybuilder, winner of the 2022 Mr. Olympia, had faced growing online backlash over alleged political ties and falling placements-second in 2023 and 2024, third at the 2026 Arnold Classic US. Choopan lost over a million Instagram followers amid the controversy.
In a May 19 Instagram post, Choopan wrote: "When many walked away, one person stayed." Sarcev, a former Mr. Yugoslavia and Mr. Universe, confirmed he will prepare Choopan for the 2026 final. "A real coach doesn't just build champions, they rebuild broken people," said Choopan.
Sarcev, known for coaching stars like Flex Lewis and Andrew Jacked, also addressed the controversy: "Many assumptions and accusations made about him were simply not true."
Choopan automatically qualified for the 2026 Olympia by placing second at the 2025 event. The competition runs September 24-27.