Photo: Deb Blyth
Black belt Gabrielle Garcia has released a public statement regarding the USADA announcement that she was found at a no-fault positive test result for Clomiphene after the 2013 World Jiu-Jitsu championship.
The athlete posted on her Facebook page the following message.
She also sent the statement to GRACIEMAG.com’s Editor, Marcelo Dunlop.
In the statement*, Garcia reaffirms that she has never used any illicit substance to improve her performance.
São Paulo, March 27, 2014
I want to give my input regarding a notification of a panel done this Wednesday, March 26, 2014, by USADA, about the presence of the substance Clomiphene found in a urine sample collected in Long Beach, CA, USA.
Despite all that is happening, I’m very happy with the outcome. It’s another victory for my career.
I have spent months and big ammounts of money that I don’t have to spare with the best sports lawyers (Jorge Ibarolla and Claude Ramoni / Libra Law – Lausanne / CH) to prove my innocence and I’m very happy for having succeeded in doing so, showing USADA that I was not at fault or negligent regarding this contamination
We examined all data and it was detected the presence of the substance by the contamination of a gynecological medicament.
For those who don’t know, Clomiphene is not a steroid and neither hides the use of one. In the female body, on top of not improving performance, it decreases it. It makes women slower and more sensitive. So, why use it? All data was examined and it was established that a contamination happened through the manipulation of a supplement.
During all my career, I have had always the highest level of care with all kinds of medicament or supplement I ingested. I have never used any illicit mean that would improve my performance. I have always fought and I keep fighting for a clean sport.
I believe that the merit of an athlete should be result of training, dedication and seriousness. My honesty is what made me be the athlete that I am today and what makes me the champion I am is my will power, my family and the few friends I have close to me. I don’t fight for titles, but for the growth of female sport.
Sure of my innocence and acquittal, a warrior that I am, the accusations will not affect me or will I interrupt my training routine. I will never surrender, because all I conquered so far was a result of sweat, training and self-abnegation.
At no point I acted negligently or recklessly. A month and a half before the test in question, I got another result from USADA and it came negative. I do control testing periodically with my doctor and I do not use any type of supplement or medicament without being sure of their safety. Anywhere I am, I always have my supplements with me, all manipulated and all of trust by my doctor and I. I do research about all the components of all medicament or supplement before I take them.
I am extremely cautious with that and I have a clean conscience that I haven’t done anything to improve my performance. If I had taken Clomiphene, I would have been doing something to decrease my performance and no sane athlete would ever do that.
Despite considering odd the fact that the IBJJF/CBJJ launched a new weight division (Superheavy) on the same day of my acquitall and abolished (even from the Pan) the anti-doping test in 2014 and not having tested some of the 2013 world champions, I will be present at the WPJJC (in April, in Abu Dhabi) and at the 2014 Worlds (Long Beach, CA). I am 100% authorized to compete in any event, national or international.
To my friends and family, don’t worry. ‘No one throw stones in a fruitless three’.
My thank you to all that have sent me messages of comfort and caring.
For the respect, trust and consideration I have for my fans, friends and family, as well as the Jiu-Jitsu community, I am clarifying this matter.
Gabi Garcia
(* The statement was written in Portuguese and translated to English by GRACIEMAG Staff).
