One of the most dominant teams in modern Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is facing its most turbulent chapter.

In recent weeks, multiple athletes and affiliates have announced their departures from Atos Jiu-Jitsu, following public allegations made against André Galvão. The accusations claim that Galvão engaged in inappropriate behavior involving female students at the ATOS headquarters in San Diego, including allegations of grooming and sexual misconduct. Galvão has denied wrongdoing.

As the controversy spread and prominent black belts began distancing themselves from the team, Angelica Galvão released a personal statement — her first public response since the departures began. Rather than directly addressing the allegations, her message focused on her life story, faith, and the meaning of ATOS as a “home.”

In her translated statement, Angelica wrote:

“Back again, because the past few weeks do not define what this place truly represents. It has always been, and continues to be, a home.

First and foremost, a home for me — the girl who grew up in a simple neighborhood, daughter of separated parents, who started working at 14 delivering flyers in snack bars and restaurants, selling jewelry on the beach. Who left home at 18 in search of a better life. Who, at 19, without planning it, found herself pregnant and heard countless suggestions to terminate that pregnancy under the argument that it would ruin her future.

Thank God, she didn’t, because through that decision she received one of the greatest blessings she could ever imagine.

She got married. She saw death up close, experienced the uncertainty of tomorrow, financial instability, days when only our daughter had food to eat.

At 24, she moved to the U.S. with only three thousand dollars in her pocket, borrowed suitcases, a four-year-old child in her arms, and an immense will to live. She learned English out of necessity. She earned her green card and later citizenship through skill and dedication to jiu-jitsu. No inheritance. No traditional academic degree. No loans. No investors. More than 15 years of serious work in San Diego alone, faith, and the presence of extraordinary people along the way — this plan and this home expanded not only to the more than 2,000 students who passed through here, but also around the world.

It has been a long journey.

In this place, I welcomed people who arrived carrying dreams — different dreams. And, in most cases, they achieved their goals: they gained confidence, transformed their bodies and minds, earned the long-dreamed black belt, the ability to work professionally, permanent residency, citizenship, and in many cases, they became world champions.

Jiu-jitsu has granted me blessings that go beyond titles or career. And being able to extend those same blessings and this home to so many people has always been, and will always be, the true purpose.

This has never been just about a profession. It is about purpose.

And when the world believes it has the right to impose its own truth, I will remain loyal to my purpose, trusting in His truth.”

The statement notably does not directly reference the specific allegations. Instead, Angelica frames the current moment as a challenge to the identity and legacy of the academy she helped build. Her narrative centers on resilience, immigration, faith, and the growth of ATOS from humble beginnings into a global powerhouse that has produced world champions and trained thousands of students.

For supporters, the message reinforces loyalty and emphasizes the years of sacrifice behind the team’s success. For critics, the absence of direct engagement with the accusations — or acknowledgment of alleged victims — may leave unanswered questions.

The departures themselves have been significant. ATOS has long been considered one of the premier competition teams in the sport, with its San Diego headquarters serving as a destination for elite athletes worldwide. The current exodus represents not just a competitive shift, but a cultural one. Conversations across the Jiu-Jitsu community have intensified around accountability, leadership responsibility, athlete protection, and the power dynamics that exist within high-level academies.

Whether ATOS stabilizes or undergoes deeper structural changes remains to be seen. What is clear is that the situation marks one of the most consequential crises in modern Jiu-Jitsu history. As more athletes define their positions and the broader community continues to respond, the future of one of the sport’s most dominant teams hangs in uncertainty.

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