We recently reported on The Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Amazonas, led by president Elvys Damasceno, move to revoke Alves’ black belt and permanently expel him from the sport at all levels.
Prominent athletes, including Matheus Gabriel and Ary Farias, have shared harrowing accounts of abuse, calling for greater vigilance and safer training environments.
The affected men had already given an interview to TV Globo and brought to light that the fact that alleged abuse had been happening for at least 15 years, during trips to compete in BJJ. One of the athletes reported that he suffered the first abuse at the age of 11.
According to police, at least 12 men have already been identified, and another six are waiting to give statements. Investigations revealed that the crimes occurred between 2011 and 2018. Alves tried offering targets gifts and favors, buying kimonos, and arranging tickets and accommodation for championships. And he also always targeted the impoverished.
The behavior was ongoing as pers Globo:
“We do have material evidence in this regard, and I would also like to emphasize that he is an individual who knows he is wrong, but continues to do so, because these videos and photos we have are recent,” said the delegate.
In response CBJJ and IBJJF released statements.
CBJJ statement reads:
“The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Confederation (CBJJ) and the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) express their deep indignation at the acts of se xual vi0lence attributed to Jiu-Jitsu instructor Alcenor Alves Soeiro against minors, as widely reported by the press. Such crimes are unacceptable and violate the most fundamental ethical principles of the sport.”
“The CBJJ and the IBJJF inform that Alcenor Alves Soeiro will be permanently banned from their ranks and will no longer be able to participate in events and activities promoted by the entity. The CBJJ and the IBJJF repudiate behaviors that violate the integrity and safety of sports practitioners, especially when the victims are children and adolescents.”
“We praise the athletes who had the courage to expose the situations of violence they suffered, allowing other victims to feel encouraged to report their tormentors. The CBJJ and IBJJF clarify that all cases of abuse will be treated rigorously and reaffirm their commitment to ensuring safe, ethical and respectful environments in all their activities”
But not everyone was thrilled. Kyra Gracie made an interesting statement under one of the official announcements about the ban:
“Taking the discussion further, it is crucial to address the banning of individuals with proven criminal records, especially in serious cases that, unfortunately, have been ignored by CBJJ.
There are numerous reports of abuse against women and assaults that have not led to effective actions, allowing these individuals to continue competing and even teaching classes.
What, then, are the criteria for banning? Is it the severity of the case or the gender of the victims? It is essential that all complaints are treated with the seriousness they deserve to ensure a safe and respectful environment for everyone.”
This is possibly the first time IBJJF has reacted in such a manor – they previously remained silent on a number of issues.
Gracie concluded in a reply to another commenter ‘Here’s to hoping things start to change! We can’t give up on fighting for a better Jiu-Jitsu community. Let’s keep pushing forward’
Meanwhile some of the other participants strongly hinted that they feel Lloyd Irvin, De la Riva and Cyborg should be banned as well.
While Gracie is certainly right to question the double standards it appears that the scale of Alves’ alleged misdeeds far surpasses most other cases in BJJ community.
