Multiple-time IBJJF World Champion Ana Vieira has officially closed the door on ever competing at IBJJF Worlds again.

While many athletes have started shifting toward higher-paying events like the upcoming $100,000 women’s tournament at CJI 2, Vieira says prize money isn’t the driving factor behind her decision.

Instead, it stems entirely from how she was treated during and after a frightening incident in her 2023 absolute division final:

I’m not competing IBJJF no more after what happened with me in 2023.

I think that their posture towards me as an athlete that dedicated my whole life to competing at their events wasn’t right

So I feel that I was neglected, and I don’t want to support a federation that treated their five-time black belt world champion like this.

The match ended when her opponent caught her in a choke. Vieira tapped repeatedly, but the referee didn’t see it in time, and she was rendered unconscious.
What happened next only deepened her frustration:

My opponent got me in a choke and I tapped, you know many times, referee didn’t see and the way they handled the situation when…
The way they put me up, I was really dizzy, I had like a concussion. They didn’t provide any kind of help, medical help.

My wife was there in shock.
She told me that afterwards that the whole IBJJF staff was literally just like that, looking to me, waiting for me to stand up and go to the podium.

I was completely out, they didn’t want to call for the ambulance.

For Vieira, the lack of immediate medical attention was unacceptable.

But it was the complete absence of follow-up from the organization that ultimately convinced her to walk away for good:

They never even reached out to me to see how I was doing. I got depressed, you know I stopped teaching classes at my gym.
It was just awful.

Physically I was fine, but mentally I was completely broken.

And to see how they just, they didn’t care.

Sloth Jiu-Jitsu: The Ultimate Guide for Calmly Beating Bigger, Younger Opponents

💥 What if slowing down was the fastest way to win? 💭 Tired of Getting Smashed by Younger, Stronger Grapplers? It’s not your age. It’s your strategy. If you’re a passionate grappler over 35 who’s sick of getting outpaced, outmuscled, or out-cardio’d by opponents half your age — this 120 page e-book was made for you. 🔓 Unlock the Power of Sloth Jiu-Jitsu:

Build Sustainable Strength—Without Wrecking Your Joints, Energy, or Jiu-Jitsu

Tired of waking up sore and burnt out after lifting? Sloth Strength is a proven blueprint for grapplers over 35 who want to get stronger—without the pain, burnout, or injuries.

Developed from 25 years on the mats, this no-burnout approach is made specifically for BJJ athletes in their 30s, 40s, and beyond.