Tom DeBlass, well known for speaking from his heart on social media, recently made comments about an issue which many others simply try to brush under the rug. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, posted a statement criticizing youth world championships that has drawn a wave of responses from the grappling community, with several commenters saying the concerns match what they have witnessed firsthand.
In the post, DeBlass said he believes some parents are willing to put their children on steroids in order to claim a world championship title. He said the practice is dangerous because it involves children whose bodies and hormones are still developing, and that no medal, trophy, ranking or title is worth risking a child’s long-term health.
DeBlass also criticized parents who run their children’s social media accounts while writing posts and comments as if the child were the one posting. He said the practice is obvious to viewers and called for it to stop, closing his post with the line, “Let kids be kids.”
The post drew agreement in the comments. User 10pjesus wrote that the trend of kids “cosplaying as adults” as competitors was “mind boggling,” adding that kids need to grow up as kids to become fully developed, well-adjusted adults. User dr.sarah.jo said it is well known in the youth BJJ community that many athletes are “juiced up,” and said her family had stepped away from the scene as a result. Other commenters, including buehlz11, j3nkor3n3k and buehlzboysbjj, thanked DeBlass for raising the issue publicly.
A freelance journalist with more than seven years of experience covering a wide range of topics, with a focus on delivering accurate, engaging, and well-researched reporting. He studied at the University of Birmingham, where he developed a strong foundation in journalism and communications. Martin is a 10th Planet BJJ brown belt and has been training for approximately 10 years and a keen follower of submission grappling.
