IFBB Pro League Men’s Open bodybuilder Nathan De Asha will not compete in the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest, slated for Nov. 2-5, 2023, in Orlando, FL, due to traveling issues beyond his control — he was denied entry to the USA.
In the morning hours of Oct. 21, 2023, De Asha published a two-part Instagram reel wherein he shared he was in Florida but was denied entry into the United States. Since then, he has been waiting for arrangements to return to the United Kingdom. His disappointment in this outcome was obvious in the video and caption of the post.
On Nov. 2, 2023, it was confirmed that De Asha had not successfully be able to solve the travel issues and will not compete in the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest as a result.
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On the way here, I was excited like a child. Now, I am sat in a hotel, waiting to go home with the worst thoughts in my head possible.
In the same Instagram post, De Asha expressed a desire to see the Olympia held outside of the United States in the future, suggesting that competitors who aren’t American citizens may not have travel complications if the event was held in another country.
The Olympia has not been held outside of the United States since 1992, when Dorian Yates won his first of six Sandow Trophies in Helsinki, Finland. The date and location of the 2024 Olympia have not been announced at the time of this article’s publication.
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De Asha won two pro shows in the 2023 season to qualify for the 2023 Mr. Olympia. He won the 2023 Flex Weekend Pro and 2023 Sheru Classic France Pro. Those were the 10th and 11th pro wins of his career. He also ranked second to Regan Grimes in the 2023 Europa Pro. Despite winning pro shows and qualifying for the Olympia in years past, De Asha hasn’t been on the Olympia stage since 2018, when he finished eighth overall.
With De Asha out of the lineup, 16 out of the 21 qualified athletes on the Mr. Olympia roster remain. Iain Valliere retired from competitive bodybuilding in September 2023, two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh Elssbiay bowed out that same month to recover from injuries, Brett Wilkin withdrew from the contest due to digestive issues, and Nick Walker pulled out the week of the Olympia due to a hamstring tear.
At the time of this article’s publication, Brandon Curry is also on the cusp of potentially withdrawing from the 2023 Mr. Olympia due to health complications. However, Curry remains in the lineup as of 7:00 p.m. EST on Nov. 2, 2023.
Featured Image: @nathandeasha2 on Instagram
