Ana Vieira recently competed in the absolute final of the 2023 IBJJF World Championship.
She faced Gabrieli Pessanha, who put her in a choke – ultimately rendering her unconscious.
However, the referee didn’t immediately stop the match, but only did so after several seconds have passed.
Rodolfo Vieira, Ana’s brother, was enraged by this.
He openly criticized the referee for endangering his sister’s life:
There are mistakes and mistakes, everyone makes mistakes, all judges make mistakes, and a lot to be honest, but the mistake that this judge made, by acting in an improper way to find out my sister’s status was absurd!
He couldn’t have been the way he was, he should have at least knelt, to pay attention to the smallest details in a dangerous position like that, but he didn’t, or see her hitting he saw.
He just tilted his body a little as you can see in the video and pictures.
Rodolfo called upon the IBJJF to suspend the referee from ever refereeing in tournaments again:
I come here to leave my indignation with what happened and for me a very serious mistake like that, he or any other judge should be banned and never arbitrate again, my sister could be dead now, or had some pretty serious sequel after so long deleted, but thanks to Lord she is fine!
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