The 2023 Mr. Olympia, the most prestigious bodybuilding competition in the world, was supposed to be a celebration of the sport’s best athletes and their incredible physiques. Instead, it turned into a nightmare for many fans and competitors, who were left shocked and outraged by the controversial scorecards that determined the winners of the various divisions.
The scorecards are the official documents that show how the judges scored each competitor in the prejudging and the finals, based on criteria such as muscularity, symmetry, conditioning, and presentation. The lower the score, the higher the rank. The scorecards are usually released to the public shortly after the event, but this year, they were delayed for several hours, raising suspicions and doubts among the bodybuilding community.
When the scorecards were finally revealed, they showed some surprising and questionable results that contradicted the opinions of many experts and fans who watched the event live or online. The most controversial decision was in the Mr. Olympia division, where Derek Lunsford was crowned the new champion, beating the defending champion Hadi Choopan and the rising star Samson Dauda. Lunsford, who also won the 212 division in 2022, became the first-ever two-division Mr. Olympia champion, but his victory was met with mixed reactions and accusations of favoritism and politics.
Many fans and analysts believed that Choopan, who came second, or Dauda, who came third, deserved to win the title, as they displayed superior muscularity, conditioning, and overall aesthetics than Lunsford, who was criticized for being too blocky, watery, and lacking in detail. Choopan, who is from Iran and has faced visa issues and travel restrictions in the past, was visibly upset by the result and stormed off the stage before the trophy presentation, refusing to congratulate Lunsford or pose for the photos. Dauda, who is from Nigeria and made his Olympia debut this year, was more gracious and humble but also expressed his disappointment and disbelief in an interview after the show.
The scorecards showed that Lunsford had a narrow lead over Choopan and Dauda in the prejudging, but widened the gap in the finals, where he received six points from all the judges, while Choopan and Dauda received nine and 15 points, respectively. Many fans questioned how Lunsford could have improved so much in such a short time, and how Choopan and Dauda could have regressed so drastically when they looked consistent and impressive throughout the event. Some fans also pointed out that Lunsford was coached by Hany Rambod, who is a close friend and business partner of Dan Solomon, the president and chief Olympia officer, and suggested that there was a conflict of interest and a bias in favor of Lunsford.
The Mr. Olympia division was not the only one that sparked controversy, as the scorecards also revealed some unexpected and debatable outcomes in other categories. In the 212 division, Keone Pearson, who was making his Olympia debut, dethroned the reigning champion Shaun Clarida, who came second, and Angel Calderon Frias, who came third. Pearson, who is known for his classic and aesthetic physique, impressed the judges with his shape and symmetry, but many fans argued that Clarida and Calderon were more muscular, conditioned, and complete than Pearson, and deserved to place higher.
In the Classic Physique division, Chris Bumstead won his third consecutive title, beating Ramon Rocha Queiroz, who came second, and Urs Kalecinski, who came third. Bumstead, who is widely regarded as the epitome of classic physique, dominated the division with his size, structure, and presentation, but some fans felt that Rocha and Kalecinski were more shredded, balanced, and proportionate than Bumstead, and challenged him more than the score cards suggested.
In the Men’s Physique division, Ryan Terry, who came second in 2022, won his first title, edging out the four-time champion Brandon Hendrickson, who came second, and Erin Banks, who came third. Terry, who is from the UK and has a loyal fan base, showcased his flawless physique and charisma, but some fans claimed that Hendrickson and Banks were more conditioned, detailed, and polished than Terry, and should have retained or improved their positions.
The scorecards scandal at the 2023 Mr. Olympia has caused a lot of anger and frustration among the bodybuilding community, who feel that the judging was unfair, inconsistent, and influenced by external factors. Many fans have called for a reform of the judging system, transparency of the judging criteria, and accountability of the judges, who have not explained or justified their decisions. Some fans have even suggested boycotting the Olympia and supporting other bodybuilding organizations and events, such as the Arnold Classic and the IFBB Elite Pro.
The 2023 Mr. Olympia was supposed to be a celebration of the sport’s best athletes and their incredible physiques, but it turned into a nightmare for many fans and competitors, who were left shocked and outraged by the controversial scorecards that determined the winners of the various divisions. The scorecards scandal has sparked a bodybuilding crisis, and the Olympia organizers and judges have a lot of explaining and apologizing to do if they want to restore the credibility and integrity of the sport.