Uanderson Ferreira has just been stripped of the IBJJF Pan Championship title that he won earlier this year, after the results of USADA testing have come in. Ferreira reportedly tested positive for 11-nor-9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol (Carboxy-THC), which is a urinary metabolite of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), at a level above the urinary decision Limit. THC is the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, marijuana, and hashish; although it’s worth noting that none of these substances are considered to be PEDs. That’s the IBJJF suspension he has received is significantly lower than what other athletes have received when they have tested positive for known PEDs and their metabolites.
Because THC is not considered to improve sports performance and Ferreira was able to demonstrate that his usage was conducted out of competition, he was eligible for a reduced suspension of just three months. That suspension has been applied retroactively to the date he was first provisionally suspended: April 17th, 2024. This means that Ferreira has actually already served his suspension and will now be eligible to compete in IBJJF tournaments again. The other effect of the failed USADA test is that Uanderson Ferreira has been disqualified from any tournaments he took part in on the date of the test, which includes the IBJJF Pan Championship 2024.
This means that Ferreira is no longer the medium-heavyweight champion for this year and instead the man he beat in the final, Mateus Rodrigues, will be awarded the title. Unfortunately for Ferreira, the IBJJF Pan Championship 2024 was actually the first major title that he had won in his black belt career. At the age of 23 he still has plenty of time to win more major events though of course and with his suspension already served, he will no doubt be eager to get back on the mats in 2025 and achieve the same feat again.
