Forget dodgy decisions. One of the most common complaints at any jiu-jitsu tournament is that of “sand bagging”. 

Though jiu-jitsu is an amateur sport competitions are taken very seriously and there is more than just a medal on the line. The title of champion is highly sought after and some people will go to extreme measures to secure victory. 

Sand bagging has long said to be a problem at jiu-jitsu tournaments, but is it really as prevalent as people say? We decided to analyze the statistics to find out. 

What is “Sand Bagging"?

Sand bagging is intentionally holding somebody back from promotion so that they can compete a rank down from their true skill. They do this so they can go into competitions and win gold medals against outclassed opposition. 

For example, an athlete may have been training for a number of years and has acquired the skills of a purple belt or higher, yet would be entered into a competition as a blue belt and clean up. 

Photo: Maggie Left

When Do Promotions Take Place? 

Promotions in jiu-jitsu are subjective and done completely at the discretion of an athlete’s coach. It is only for them to decide when an athlete will move up in rank, and there is no set criteria for when a promotion should take place. 

For active competitors, results are the best indicator of when a promotion is due. For the top athletes at all levels, hitting the podium at Worlds (and, of course, preferably winning) is usually when they get bumped up, with the belt usually tied around their waist alongside the medal around their neck. 

For those not given their next belt on the podium most jiu-jitsu teams will have a twice-yearly promotion ceremony; one at the end of the year, and another in the middle. 

Photo: Kenny Jewel

IBJJF Regulations re: Promotions

It is important to clarify that while some competitors will return to compete in up to three consecutive World Championships as blue belts, this is often in the juvenile 1 and 2 divisions, which are for athletes under the age of 18. 

As per IBJJF regulations, athletes may compete as a blue belt in the juvenile 1 division the year they turn 16. For juvenile 2, it is the year the turn 17. Only in the year they turn 18 are they permitted to compete in the blue belt adult divisions. 

Note: 17 year olds are permitted to be promoted to purple belt and can compete in the adult divisions though most coaches will require their athletes to win a prestigious tournament at blue belt before this promotion takes place. 

Why Is There So Much Disparity In Skill? 

The truth is, not all competitors are created equal. There is a big difference between a blue belt in his mid-twenties with a few years under his belt who balances a job and family along with his training. 

Compare this to a teenager who started training when he was 5 years old and is a full-time jiu-jitsu professional who does nothing but eat, sleep and train. Or somebody who literally lives in the gym and trains 3-4 times a day with the best training partners in the world. 

At the higher belt ranks there is less that separates the athletes in terms of skill, and it becomes a case of– among other things– who is the better-prepared athlete. But at the lower ranks, skill levels can vary widely. 

Photo: Maggie Left

Blue Belt Results 

Many of the sand bagging claims are aimed at individuals who competed in 2016 and 2017 as blue belts. 

The results below are from the adult divisions. You will note that there no repeat gold medalists from year to year. 

At blue belt from from 2016-18 there were only THREE repeat appearances on the podium: 

• Roberto William Feijó Fonseca, who took bronze in 2016 and silver in 2017 at light-featherweight 
• Adam Bradley, who took silver as a middleweight in 2016 and bronze in 2017 at medium-heavyweight.

Photo: Kenny Jewel

Purple Belt Results

We see a higher number of athletes who will compete at Worlds as a purple belt more than once. Part of this reason is because the IBJJF regulations state that a competitor must serve 18 months at purple belt before being promoted to brown. 

10 athletes made the podium one year after the other, with two of them competing at purple belt in 2016 and 2018. 

• Thalison Soares won roosterweight gold in 2017 and closed out the final in 2018. Promoted on the podium immediately after Worlds 2018, he is not eligible to compete in IBJJF tournaments as a brown belt until July of 2018. 
• Jonas Andrade took bronze at light-featherweight in 2016 and gold at roosterweight in 2018. 
• Italo Moura took bronze at featherweight in 2016 and bronze at lightweight in 2018. 
• Twin brothers Mathias and Matheus Luna medaled in 2017 and 2018, with Matias getting featherweight bronze in 2017 and gold in 2018 and Matheus taking lightweight bronze both years. 
• Tarik Hopstock took bronze in both 2016 and 2017 at middleweight, as well as absolute bronze his second year at Worlds. 
• Sean Coates took bronze in 2016 and 2017 at medium heavyweight. 
• Devhonte Johnson took medium heavyweight silver in 2016, and super-heavyweight gold in 2017.
• Marcus Vinicius Siqueira got heavyweight bronze in both 2016 and 2017. 
• Pedro Pimenta got silver and bronze as an ultra-heavyweight in 2017 and 2018, as well as absolute bronze in 2018.

Photo: Kenny Jewel

Brown Belt Results

Though IBJJF regulations stipulate that an athlete only needs to serve a minimum of one year as a brown belt, the jump from brown to black is great and coaches are reluctant to throw their athletes into the deep waters of the black divisions until they have proved they have what it takes to go against the best in the world. 

Nine athletes medaled at two World Championships in consecutive years, but none made the podium in tournaments over a year apart. 

• Hiago Gama of Alliance took silver in 2016 and gold in 2017 as a roosterweight. He took bronze as a black belt in 2018. 
• Pablo Mantovani of Atos took bronze in both 2016 and 2017 at light-featherweight. He is now a black belt. 
• Alliance’s Kennedy Maciel took bronze in 2017 and gold in 2018 at light-featherweight and was promoted to black belt on the podium. 
• João Mendes of Atos took featherweight silver in 2017 and bronze in 2018. He got promoted to black belt after Worlds. 
• Soul Fighters rep Hugo Marques took lightweight bronze in 2016 and gold in 2017. He competed 2018 as a black belt. 
• Leonardo Lara of Almeida JJ / Atos was a lightweight bronze medalist in 2017 and a middleweight champion in 2018. He was promoted to black belt on the podium. 
• Rolando Samson of Atos took silver two years running as a middleweight, in 2016 and 2017. He competed 2018 as a black belt. 
• Alliance’s Vinicius Ferreira won heavyweight brown belt gold in 2017 but only managed bronze in 2018. 
• Matheus Felipe da Silva Xavier of Checkmat won super-heavyweight brown belt gold in 2017 and placed third in 2018.