Tunis
He stood on the world championship stage alone. Without a team or coach. Only a flag, one most people in the room could not place on a map. Ahmed Zgallai is a 24-year-old Tunisian who moved to Canada to pursue a degree in biomedical sciences. Today, he is the first Tunisian athlete to qualify for the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation’s World Championship and ranked eighth in the world. A professional natural bodybuilder and fitness coach, Zgallai is redefining what representation can look like on the world stage.
For Zgallai, bodybuilding was never the original plan. Growing up in Tunisia, he recalled that the sport was viewed as ‘taboo’, as standing shirtless in front of a crowd was seen as inappropriate. At the time there were no tested or natural competitions in the country; reinforcing the assumption that bodybuilding relied on performance enhancing drugs such as steroids.
When Ahmed started going to the gym to improve his stamina for tennis, he fell in love with bodybuilding. His journey did not stop at personal achievement.
“I wouldn’t call myself a leader, but an ambassador for change,” Zgallai said, reflecting on his experience at the world championship for natural bodybuilding. He was given the option to represent Canada during the Championship in California but chose Tunisia instead, despite pressure from peers, a lack of guaranteed government support at home and the reality of being completely alone.
“I was seeing teams who had ten athletes and were all together with coaches and staff, and I was all alone. From that moment, my dream was to one day bring a full team to represent my country,” he explained.
Despite the challenges, Ahmed eventually received government support and sponsorship for his trip, becoming the first Tunisian bodybuilder ever to be funded by his country. This is paramount, as it signals a shift in the country’s attitude towards natural bodybuilding.
After winning numerous regional natural bodybuilding competitions and qualifying for the World Championship, Ahmed Zgallai received widespread media attention for his journey. His story resonated with aspiring athletes in Tunisia, many of whom wanted natural bodybuilding competitions in the country. The news reached the ministry of sports and youth in Tunis and he was invited to discuss the sport and advocate for tested shows. “I made them do it,” he recalls.
This year, Tunisia will host its first natural bodybuilding competition, the Natural Cup of Tunisia, a breakthrough credited to Zgallai’s efforts.
Zgallai understood that along with his title came a big responsibility to give back to his country, as he trained the majority of his years in Tunisia. He emphasised that he does not want athletes to have to leave their country to compete naturally, as he did. “If I am able to help give them the opportunity to practice what they love in their home country, then I have reached my ultimate goal.” Historically, the Tunisian government has allocated very little funding to the federation of bodybuilding, but Zgallai has sparked a conversation about the need for proper support and oversight, “testing should be taken seriously.”
Testing in natural bodybuilding requires a lot of resources, but Tunisia is now taking the step to make it happen, giving the sport a level of legitimacy it has not had before. Proper testing means judges need to be trained, competitions are fair, athletes are not using performance-enhancing drugs and the overall focus stays on health. On top of that, 2025 marked the first year female bodybuilders were allowed to compete, showing how a sport that was once seen as improper is slowly gaining recognition in Tunisia. This is especially significant because many other countries in the Arab region are still less accepting of bodybuilding, making Tunisia’s progress even more notable.
Zgallai also addressed the stereotype that Tunisians who find success abroad rarely return home. For him, that is not the case. While he has enjoyed his time in Canada, he says it does not feel like home. “I feel like a fish out of the sea,” he explained. He plans to return to Tunisia soon, using his experience and influence to continue developing the sport there. The overwhelming support he receives from the Tunisian and broader Arab community has only strengthened his desire to come back.
Zgallai’s journey, however, is far from over. His professional title has only strengthened his commitment to Tunisian bodybuilding, and he plans to return home to continue growing the sport. Later this year, he aims to compete in the World Championship again, hoping to improve on his current ranking of eighth, while inspiring the next generation of Tunisian athletes to pursue natural bodybuilding without having to leave their country.
