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On Episode 300 of The Menace Podcast,<\/em> host Dennis James was joined by Milos Sarcev and Chris Cormier, and one of the hot topics of conversation was Sarcev\u2019s client, Hadi Choopan, who recently announced that he will not make it to Las Vegas for the 2026 Mr. Olympia final. During the show, Sarcev shared the shock and heartbreak suffered by Choopan\u2019s late exit and also revealed the Iranian\u2019s potential next move.<\/p>\n The man they call \u201cThe Persian Wolf\u201d announced<\/a> on Aug. 26 that authorities would not allow him to fly from his home country of Iran to Dubai for an interview with the U.S. Embassy, forcing him to withdraw from the competition. Milos Sarcev, who had been coaching Choopan on the road to the 2026 Olympia, told The Menace Podcast that when Choopan arrived at Shiraz International Airport in Iran, he was told that his via had been deactivated. \u201cThey did not allow him on the airplane,\u201d explained the coach, who had been communicating with the iconic bodybuilder by text as things unfolded. \u201cSo, he catched the flight to Tehran,\u201d added Sarcev, explaining that Choopan was hoping to be allowed to fly out of Iran\u2019s capital city instead. \u201cAnd they stopped him there too,\u201d shared Sarcev. \u201cHe was not allowed (to fly out of Iran), at all.\u201d<\/p>\n The Persian Wolf had become a significant fixture at the Olympia, competing every year since 2019, winning in 2022, and making runner-up for the past three years. \u201cSo, imagine this,\u201d Sarcev asked Dennis James and Chris Cormier. \u201cHe\u2019s packed, he said goodbye to the kids, and the family. He\u2019s ready to come, you know, packed to fly from Dubai straight to America, and denied.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoping to understand the decision, host Dennis James asked if Choopan had been given a reason for the flight block. Sarcev believed that the reason stemmed from the fact that Iranian officials would not reactivate his golden visa. \u201cMaybe it has something to do with Iran and UAE,\u201d speculated Sarcev, \u201cAnd it\u2019s like, most devastating.\u201d<\/p>\n During the show, Sarcev provided some further insight into Choopan\u2019s plight. \u201cHe is crushed completely,\u201d said his coach. \u201cHe is already giving up. The way he basically told me, \u2018This is it.\u2019\u201d The Mind also explained how difficult it is to train for the world\u2019s most prestigious bodybuilding competition while under stress.<\/p>\n Still, if the Iranian bodybuilder\u2019s travel arrangements can be figured out in due course, Sarcev shared that Choopan does have a plan for his next move. \u201cHe wants to put everything into the Arnold Classic,\u201d which is scheduled to take place in March 2027, revealed Sarcev. Of course, bodybuilding fans will recall that Choopan won the Arnold Classic<\/a> U.S. and U.K. in 2024,\u00a0 \u00a0providing fans with plenty of hope that this icon will return to the international stage.<\/p>\n To see this conversation in full on The Menace Podcast, where the panel also dissected the latest bodybuilding news, check it out on the Muscle & Fitness YouTube channel.<\/a><\/p>\nMilos Sarcev Talks Hadi Choopan\u2019s Olympia Exit Heartbreak and Next Move<\/strong><\/h3>\n