Sandbagging at ADCC Germany? No!

Sandbagging prevents sports

Every sport stands and falls with the guarantee of fair competition. While the officials stand here at the happening for the adherence to the set of rules with the fights and thus the security of the participants in a full contact combat sport, it is above all the protagonists themselves who define the sportsmanship with their actions before, during and after the fight. Only if all together in the sporting thought guarantee the fair play, one can speak of a real sporting competition. ADCC Germany consistently implements these imperative basic ideas of the sport and thus ensures the highest possible level of safety for the athletes.

Sandbagging is a no-go at ADCC Germany

The division into performance classes and the registration of the athletes in their respective applicable divisions is essential for a fair and sporting competition. Gone are the "Wild West times" of over 20 years ago, when even as a beginner you were burned out on the Blackbelts and top performers due to a lack of competition opportunities and the simple absence of performance classes as a rookie.

Especially the performance class "Beginner" is reserved exclusively for those athletes who have 2 years or LESS experience in Judo, Wrestling, Sambo, BJJ, Luta Livre or similar martial arts experience. This is also clearly stated and described in the tournament announcement. Nationally and internationally successful top athletes have simply lost nothing in this performance class. Whoever enters this class as such an experienced and successful athlete is, simply put, unsportsmanlike and a risk of injury for his clearly inferior competition. This behavior is called sandbagging in the scene and is a gross violation of sportsmanship.

German champion in wrestling a beginner? No!

Currently we have the case that a German champion in wrestling and fighter of the 1st Bundesliga is registered at the upcoming ADCC German National Championships in the beginners. A circumstance that was noticed by connoisseurs of the scene and was reported to us. A check quickly revealed that the fighter in question was already German Champion in wrestling four years ago, so has been active considerably longer than permitted for the Beginner class. Why the athlete has registered for this class is beyond our knowledge. What is quite clear, however, is that he will not compete in this class under any circumstances.

What are the possible options now? First of all, the athlete has the possibility to change his performance class to Intermediate or even to Professionals until the registration deadline. Nothing stands in the way of a start in a higher class. However, this step must be taken by the athlete concerned in order to eliminate the suspicion of deliberate unsportsmanlike conduct. If this should not happen and the sportsman thus intentionally wants to start in this class, the responsible persons have no other choice than to disqualify the fighter at the weigh-in and thus to protect the participants in the affected class.

We urgently appeal to all athletes and teams to pay attention to the registration in which performance class is entered. Misconduct and deliberate unsportsmanship in this regard will not be tolerated or accepted by ADCC Germany. A disqualification is the only logical consequence for such behavior and the attempt to undermine sportsmanship at our competitions.

Registration is still open for four days and we already have more participants than last year. We are looking forward to a great sporting competition with all of you!