Keenan Cornelius fighting at the Worlds 2014. Photo: Dan Rod / GRACIEMAG

The World Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2014 ended on Sunday in California, but strong echoes are still heard.

After all, the great IBJJF event was marked by dramatic struggles at the highest level such as the final of the absolute black belt, in which Marcus Buchecha claimed his victory again over Rodolfo Vieira.

However, it also had controversy – as happened, for example, during the quarterfinals of the heavyweight on Sunday.

Bronze in the absolute on Saturday, the star Keenan Cornelius (Atos) faced Diego Gamonal (BTT ) until the dispute ended early with a disqualification. After lumping Diego with his lapel guard, the Galvão student was eliminated by crossing his leg over the knee of his opponent.

The Jiu – Jitsu black belt Mauricio Russo, one of the most experienced referees in action at the Worlds, was responsible for disqualifying Keenan. At the request of GRACIEMAG, Russo commented the episode, and pointed out that only complied with the rules. Check out:

GRACIEMAG: In your opinion, how the disqualification of Keenan Cornelius occurred, in the quarterfinals of the heavyweight black belt?

MAURICIO RUSSO: The fight began early with a very crazy and efficient movement by the athlete Keenan Cornelius (Atos). That’s when the athlete Diego Gamonal (BTT ) broke free from the mighty footsteps of Keenan, who in turn was trying to subdue him on his guard. In one of his various attempts, Keenan passed his right leg on the inside of his opponent left leg and made the “leg-cross” from outside to inside. He even put the hook under Gamonal’s right armpit, which with his indisputable experience, valued Keenan’s crossed leg. It was a very easy position to analyze, so I stopped the fight and applied the rule in effect, disqualifying the athlete from Atos.

GRACIEMAG: Keenan is a phenomenal athlete, came from an almost perfect performance at the absolute, and still had a whole cheering for him at the Pyramid. How was disqualifying a big star like that?

MAURICIO RUSSO: Look, when we walk to arbitrate a Jiu – Jitsu match, we have to forget who the competitor is. Seeking always to be fair, honest and correct with my principles. We must remember that there are two athletes seeking a dream, be it short or long term. They are fighters who abdicate to have fun, spend money on food, with airline tickets; often they are away from home and family, all in search of a better future for themselves. I’m fully aware of that, to know how to engage, how to lay all the will and determination to achieve your goal, in other words the victory. With Keenan was no different, I did my job very aware of that, because it was how I learned from righteous people who passed through my life, and I would never let them down. The show is always on the athletes, but we have to apply the rules. I have been working for 17 years with seriousness and respect for the athletes, although many of them seek not to learn the rules, often because they are not encouraged by their team leaders.

GRACIEMAG: The other arbitrators supported your decision?

MAURICIO RUSSO: Of course they supported me; after all I only applied the rule as it should. I received compliments for my conduct and personality. Many arbitrators have gone through this scenario, many gave up because maybe they thought there business is different, it really is pressure all the time. There’s no way to be more or less, or you stand or ask to leave. Some remain firm until today. Currently, the arbitrators in activity, Muzio, Luiz “Kabelinho” and I are the oldest. Obviously this does not mean that we are the best. There are many other excellent referees, and whenever I have the opportunity I learn from them.

A IBJJF vai promover no próximo dia 6 de outubro, em Long Beach, Califórnia, a 1a Conferência Internacional de Árbitros ( IBJJF IRC). O evento vai reunir 25 árbitros que atuam no circuito internacional de competições da entidade. A data escolhida é a véspera do Mundial de Master & Senior, que também acontece na pirâmide de Long Beach.

A IBJJF IRC busca reunir os árbitros para padronizar as arbitragens e reduzir os erros e discrepâncias no uso dos critérios de decisão. O Coordenador de Arbitragem da IBJJF, Gabriel Costa, explica a iniciativa: “Como os árbitros não podem estar sempre juntos, a conferência pretende ser o momento de reunião para a busca de uma uniformidade no trabalho de cada um deles. Não se trata de um curso de arbitragem, uma vez que os participantes já são árbitros atuantes. Nossa idéia é também fazer uma avaliação das dúvidas e do grau de conhecimento regras que o corpo de árbitros possui. Os árbitros receberão certificados ao fim da conferência”. A IBJJF IRC contará com palestrantes que abordarão temas específicos do livro de regras.

Gabriel Costa afirma que a IBJJF IRC faz parte de uma estratégia ampla: “A IBJJF quer que o conhecimento sobre a regra seja cada vez mais expandido. Hoje já temos o Livro de Regras disponível para celular e tablet”.  A idéia da IBJJF é realizar outras edições da IBJJF IRC antes dos principais eventos do calendário.

IBJJF promotes 1st International Referee Conference

The IBJJF will promote the 1st International Referee Conference (IBJJF IRC), at the Long Beach Walter Pyramid, on October 6th. The date is the day before the World Championship Master & Senior that takes place in the same venue. The IBJJF IRC will gather 25 referees that are part of the IBJJF body of referees who work on the competition international circuit.

The IBJJF IRC aims to bring the referees together to set a standard in refereeing, to reduce mistakes and differences in the decision criteria. The IBJJF Refereeing Director, Gabriel Costa, explains the initiative: “As referees can not be together all the time, the conference has the intention of being the time and place for the search of a uniformity in their work. It is not a referee course, once all the participants are already working as refs. Our idea is to make an assessment of the doubts they have and their level of understanding about the rules. The referees will each get a certificate.” The IBJJF IRC will feature special speakers that will cover different aspects of the rule book.

Gabriel Costa also states that the IBJJF IRC is part of a much wider strategy: “The IBJJF wants to make the rules book known to the largest number of people as possible. We already have it available for phones and tablets.” The IBJJF intends to promote new editions of the IBJJF IRC before the main events of the Jiu-Jitsu calendar.

Alvaro Mansor teaches Rules seminar

GMA member Claudio França is inviting one and all to a rules seminar next October 5.

IBJJF Director of Refereeing Alvaro Mansor will be at Claudio França BJJ for a four-hour class.

The event is open to everyone, not just referees.

The cost is $60 for the general public and $30 for athletes signed up for the 5th American Cup, which takes place the next day.

For further info, go to tournament360.net/rulesseminar.