Barral and Braulio closed out the medium-heavyweight division
Black belt Braulio Estima announced today that he was informed roughly two and half months ago by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) that a positive result for a prohibited substance was found in his urine sample collected after the 2014 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
According to Braulio, the substance was Methylhexaneamine (DMAA), a common ingredient of pre-workout drinks.
Still according Braulio, he accepted the two-year suspension from competition and the losing of his results at the 2014 Worlds.
Braulio was the medium-heavyweight champion after a close-out with Gracie Barra teammate Romulo Barral.
“The thing was that I did not know exactly which was the drink that I took, so I couldn’t risk telling them which one was and get an even heavier suspension. If I knew which one was, I could have gotten 60 to 90 days of suspension, as it was my first positive,” told us Braulio.
The black belt also told us about his reaction to the news: “First of all it was a shock! I have never taken pre-workout drinks. If I never used before, why would I use it before the Worlds. First, I thought the positive could be due toa nasal spray I was using on the days prior to the Worlds, but it wasn’t. Then, I remembered that after the semifinal against Murilo Santana, and knowing that Romulo Barral was also in the final, I began celebrating and actually drank some energy drinks friends in the Pyramid were drinking. In my mind, I thought I didn’t have to fight anymore, so It wouldn’t be a problem. I was careless, I know,” said Estima.
Braulio also said that today he is more at peace with the penalties he received: “I have cried a lot, but now I am more calm. I lost my title and my entry to the IBJJF Hall of Fame and that hurst a lot, but I know people know me and know about my approach to the sport. I have 50 black belts under me and I have never talked to any of them about taking something illegal to win a competition. The thing is that we Jiu-jitsu athletes are not well educated about doping, once testing is a new thing,” analyzed Braulio.
According to Braulio, the suspension prevents him from competing in any IBJJF event in the next two years: “It will probably be enforced since August 1 2014 and therefore I will only be able to compete the 2017 Worlds. I tell you right now that if I am fit to compete, I’m gonna be there to compete,” said Braulio.
The USADA is yet to release its official statement about Braulio’s case and the IBJJF will not comment on any matter regarding anti-doping test results before the official announcement by the USADA.
Check back here for more news about the case.
