Ron Harris of the Ronline Report (Muscular Development) recently revealed some details about the upcoming 2020 Arnold Classic in March. Well, although there are no guarantees as far as who will be competing, Harris has gotten word from that the 2018 Mr. Olympia champion Shawn Rhoden will not be competing at the Arnold Classic in Columbus Ohio.
According to the report, Rhoden is supposedly not in good standing with the IFBB due to not renewing his Pro card. However, if you’ve followed bodybuilding for a while now you’re probably aware that Shawn Rhoden was accused of sexual assault in late 2018.
And as a result, the Olympia parent company American Media Inc. (AMI) immediately revoked Rhoden’s eligibility to defend his title in 2019 upon hearing the news which stirred up plenty of backlash against the decision. But as of recently, the Arnold Classic issued a statement explaining that Shawn Rhoden would need to resolve his legal issues in order to compete at the 2020 Arnold Classic…
“Official invitations for the 2020 Arnold Classic and other IFBB Pro League events will be issued in December.
Shawn has expressed interest in competing and we will extend an invitation if his legal issues are resolved before the contest.”
Get Fitter, FasterLevel Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
However, according to this recent information, Rhoden will likely be out of the competition.
Watch the video below for more information…
Ron Harris also revealed that the 7x Mr. Olympia champion Phil Heath will not be competing at the Arnold Classic either. However, he does believe “The Gift” will return to the Olympia stage next year in an effort to tie the all-time record which would put him in an elite category with Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman.
But interestingly, Big Ramy is scheduled to step on stage for his first Arnold Classic Ohio appearance which is huge news. And if you want to find out who else will and will not be competing (from what we know at the moment) then watch the entire report above.
The complete list of competitors should be available in early December so be sure to stay tuned for updates related to the 2020 Arnold Classic.
Catch comprehensive coverage of the 2024 Arnold Classic, including pre-judging, event recaps, analyses, and complete Arnold Classic results at our Arnold Classic coverage hub: FitnessVolt.com/arnold-classic