Michael Daboul Apologizes After Yelling at Austrian Oak Judges Onstage: “I Let My Emotions Take Control”
Michael Daboul has apologized after allowing his frustration with the judges to boil over onstage at the 2026 Austrian Oak Pro.
Daboul entered the Aug. 22 competition in Vienna as one of the biggest names in the Classic Physique lineup but ultimately finished third behind winner Zhivko Petkov and runner-up Florian Hartlage.
When the final placings were announced, Daboul made it clear that he disagreed with the decision.
Video from the event showed the veteran bodybuilder visibly protesting his third-place finish before beginning to walk off the stage. Daboul also appeared reluctant to participate in the customary photographs with the other top finishers.
He has since acknowledged that his reaction crossed a line.
“I want to apologize for my reaction on stage yesterday,” Daboul wrote following the competition. “I let my emotions take control of me and that is not how I want to represent myself as a professional athlete.”
Michael Daboul Reacts To Third-Place Finish
Daboul had reason to enter the Austrian Oak with confidence.
Just one week earlier, he won the Classic Physique title at the 2026 Huanji Harbin China Pro, defeating Xin Liu and Chuan Wang. He then traveled to Vienna looking to add another victory during the closing stretch of the 2026 season.
Instead, Petkov took home the Austrian Oak Classic Physique championship.
- Winner – Zhivko Petkov
- 2nd – Florian Hartlage
- 3rd – Michael Daboul
Daboul’s immediate reaction made his disagreement with the result obvious.
According to Muscle & Fitness, Daboul protested the judging onstage and started to leave before being directed back. During the winner’s photos, he remained visibly unhappy with the outcome.
However, once the emotions of the competition had subsided, Daboul took responsibility for his behavior.
“Competing at this level comes with a lot of pressure, sacrifice, and passion, but that is never an excuse to show disrespect to the judges, the organizers, my fellow athletes, or the fans,” he said.
Daboul also congratulated the athletes who finished ahead of him and thanked his supporters.
Daboul Takes Responsibility Following Austrian Oak Pro
Bodybuilding judging is inherently subjective, and disagreements over placings are hardly unusual.
Athletes spend months preparing for only a few minutes onstage, making it understandable that emotions can run particularly high when a competitor believes the final result does not reflect the physique they brought to the competition.
Daboul, however, made clear in his apology that being disappointed with a decision did not excuse his reaction.
“I respect the sport, the federation, and everyone who makes these events possible,” he wrote. “I will learn from this moment and come back stronger, both as an athlete and as a person.”
The incident came during a busy weekend at the Austrian Oak Pro, where Regan Grimes captured the Men’s Open bodybuilding title over Damian Kuffel and Joan Pradells Martinez.
For Daboul, the result was a sharp turnaround from his victory in China just days earlier. But his decision to quickly address the incident also prevented an emotional moment onstage from becoming the final word on his weekend.
The 2026 bodybuilding season is approaching its biggest event, and Daboul remains one of the most accomplished active competitors in Classic Physique.
Image embed via Instagram @goldenlegendaryphysiques
