UFC BJJ executive Claudia Gadelha addressed recent controversy surrounding her comments about Gordon Ryan and PEDs.

The discussion arose when a reporter asked Gadelha about Gordon Ryan, who had announced his retirement from competition earlier that same day.
The question referenced previous remarks suggesting Ryan may have been excluded from competing in UFC BJJ due to PED use.

Gadelha rejected that interpretation:

I actually never said that.
I was in a podcast, and somebody put me in a position where they talked about Gordon.

I didn’t say anything about Gordon specifically.

She said her original comments were focused on the organization’s broader goal of implementing an anti-doping program within the promotion:

I said that we are working in our anti-drug program here at the UFC, and whoever uses any performance-enhancing drugs will not be at UFC BJJ.
People just assume that some people do drugs in Jiu-Jitsu.

According to Gadelha, the organization is still developing its testing program as part of a wider effort to professionalize submission grappling under the UFC banner:

We are going to be very careful with who uses drugs in Jiu-Jitsu because we want a clean sport here.
But I’m not naming names or talking about anybody specifically.

Gadelha emphasized that the policy is intended to ensure fair competition as the promotion continues to grow:

It’s all about wanting a clean sport because this is the UFC, and we are working on this program now.

She also referenced Ryan’s previously stated position regarding PED use:

I say this because he says so himself – he refuses to not use PEDs because he thinks it is part of an athlete’s package:
It’s his philosophy. He is very transparent about this.

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