SEPTEMBER 30, 2024. Another one bites the dust. An unfortunate year for the sport as yet another IBJJF World Championship medalist fails to pass a USADA drug test. This time it was GF Team’s Pedro Alex, commonly referred to as “Bombom” 28, who tested positive for clomiphene and its metabolite ((Z)-3′-hydroxyclomiphene) as the result of an in-competition drug test conducted at the 2024 World International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) Jiu-Jitsu Championship on June 2, 2024.
Although the IBJJF is not a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code (the Code), USADA was contracted by IBJJF to conduct testing for the event and collected and analyzed Pimenta’s sample following the World Anti-Doping Agency’s International Standards. Pedro Alex had placed second at the Mundial but was next in line to receive the world title after the finals winner, Yatan Bueno, failed his own drug test earlier this month (more on that story here).
Clomiphene and its metabolites are Specified Substances in the class of Hormone and Metabolic Modulators. They are prohibited at all times under the Code and the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, which applied with slight modifications to the 2024 World International IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Regarding the sanction, USADA’s press release said: (check PR in full here)
“After a thorough review of the case, USADA determined that Pimenta’s positive test was caused by a medication prescribed for therapeutic purposes under the care of a physician. Although the substance was taken at the direction of a physician, the Code requires that athletes obtain a TUE before using a prohibited substance, which Pimenta failed to do.
Pimenta’s one-year period of ineligibility began on July 12, 2024, the date his provisional suspension was imposed. In addition, Pimenta has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained in competitions sanctioned by the IBJJF or by any Code signatory on and subsequent to June 2, 2024, the date his positive sample was collected, including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes.“
