This week saw Rodolfo Vieira express strong disapproval of the IBJJF for (what he believed to be) extremely poor officiating in his sister’s match. Here, his sister Ana Vieira participated in the absolute final of the 2023 IBJJF World Championship. Her opponent, Gabrieli Pessanha, applied a chokehold that eventually caused Ana to lose consciousness.
However, to the dismay of Rodolfo Vieira, the referee did not promptly intervene but instead allowed several seconds to pass before halting the match. At this point, it was pretty clear that Ana was unconscious and the match could have been stopped earlier.
Posting on his Instagram account, the UFC veteran and BJJ black belt expressed his anger at the referee, and accused him of jeopardizing his sister’s life. Here, he wrote:
“There are mistakes and mistakes, everyone makes mistakes, all judges make mistakes, and a lot to be honest, but the mistake that this judge made, by acting in an improper way to find out my sister’s status was absurd!
He couldn’t have been the way he was, he should have at least knelt, to pay attention to the smallest details in a dangerous position like that, but he didn’t, or see her hitting he saw. He just tilted his body a little as you can see in the video and pictures.”
Furthermore, Vieira went on to add, “I come here to leave my indignation with what happened and for me a very serious mistake like that, he or any other judge should be banned and never arbitrate again, my sister could be dead now, or had some pretty serious sequel after so long deleted, but thanks to Lord she is fine!”
The video in question can be viewed here.
Charles Vieira
Charles Vieira is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brown belt. He has travelled the world extensively training on 4 continents.