On June 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation banning foreign nationals from 12 countries from entering the United States. The ban officially took effect on June 9.
This is similar to the travel ban President Trump instituted during his first term in 2017, which remained in effect until January 20, 2021, when then-President Joe Biden signed the “Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to the United States” proclamation, overturning the policy.
Trump’s proclamation bans foreign nationals from the following 12 countries from entering the U.S.:
- Afghanistan
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
Additionally, the following countries have partial restrictions implemented against them regarding travel to the U.S.:
- Burundi
- Cuba
- Laos
- Sierra Leone
- Turkmenistan
- Venezuela
Which Athletes Are Exempt From President Trump’s Travel Ban?
The travel ban includes a range of exemptions for certain cases, including athletes and personnel traveling to the U.S. for major sporting events. Exemption IV of the proclamation specifically lists athletes attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics as part of the exempt list.
The exact wording of the proclamation states that the following foreign nationals are exempt from the ban:
“Any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State.”
What Does This Mean for Bodybuilding?
Several elite bodybuilders have encountered travel and visa issues when trying to compete in the U.S. in the past. Perhaps the most notable case concerns Hadi Choopan, the 2022 Mr. Olympia, who has had a history of difficulties when traveling into the country from his home in Iran throughout his career.
Choopan’s visa to the U.S. was denied in 2018, preventing him from competing in that year’s Olympia, despite having qualified by winning the 2018 IFBB Portugal Pro Show.
His visa was initially denied again the following year, which would have prevented him from competing in that year’s Olympia as well. He ultimately secured his visa following an interview with the U.S. embassy in the UAE, but he expressed his uncertainty at the time on his social media.
- While the new travel ban makes an exception for certain athletes, no bodybuilding shows — including the 2025 Olympia — were specifically mentioned in the proclamation. Athletes involved in other strength sports, such as strongman, CrossFit, and powerlifting, could face similar issues.
Choopan’s home country of Iran is again part of the U.S. travel ban, and there is no clarity on how he or other athletes from banned countries will be impacted. As a previous champion, Choopan earned an automatic qualification for the 2025 Olympia.
We will keep you updated on this story as more details become available.
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Featured image: @hadi_choopan on Instagram
