Decorated BJJ champion and coach Andre Galvao is facing very serious allegations. CW: Sexual assault.
Andre Galvao — one of the most decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) champions of all time — has long been one of the biggest figures in the entire sport, both as a competitor and a coach. An 11-time world champion across ADCC and IBJJF, Galvao is also the leader of Atos, one of the largest BJJ teams in the world with close to 100 affiliate gyms across the world.
Galvao, 43, is currently facing serious allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of his students.
Adele Fornarino and Levi Jones-Leary speak out against ‘abusers’
Even prior to anything being made public about Andre Galvao, several high profile BJJ competitors and instructors started to distance themselves from the world renowned team in the past week.
A couple of grappling champions also spoke out during the Polaris 35 broadcast. Reigning ADCC double champion, Adele Fornarino, decided not to represent Atos in her most recent match at Polaris, then called for a change to the problematic “hierarchal structure” in jiu-jitsu. Wearing a shirt that said, “we don’t roll like that,” Fornarino urged everyone to speak up against abusers and hold people accountable.
“There’s a crisis in jiu-jitsu at the moment,” Fornarino said. “There’s a big, big problem and it’s coming from the hierarchal structure of our sport. There’s people in positions of dominance over people that are vulnerable. And these people in positions of dominance, their job is to protect, to look after and teach people how to protect themselves. These are the very people that are taking advantage of the most vulnerable in our sport, and it needs to stop.
“The only way that we can make this stop, is if we all hold these people accountable for what they’re doing. No more blissful ignorance,” she stated. “There is no such thing as an innocent bystander anymore, guys. We are in control of this. We need to speak out. We need to speak up. And we need to protect the most vulnerable in this sport.”
While not revealing specifics, Polaris champion, Levi Jones-Leary, echoed Fornarino’s statements, cursing out abusers in the jiu-jitsu community and saying, “you’re not safe anymore.”
MMA Mania’s sources previously noted how these statements were reacting to allegations about Atos and Galvao specifically, which has since been confirmed as more information became public.
Renowned BJJ coach, Lachlan Giles, also reacted soon after, saying “I’m not sure if it has become worse or it is just being exposed more, but there is a serious issue in the sport with people in power abusing their students. I’m not sure what the solution is, but something has to change.”
Atos BJJ competitor says she filed charges against Andre Galvao, urges more victims to speak out
Alexa Herse — a long-time juvenile competitor from Atos — released a statement detailing Andre Galvao’s repeated advances and alleged sexual misconduct.
“Moving forward, I am no longer associated with Atos Jiu Jitsu. This is something I never imagined I would have to say, as I have spent most of my childhood and teenage years dedicated to this team. But now unfortunately I have no choice but to step away and speak out,” she wrote.
“Within the past six months, I was made very uncomfortable on many occasions by Andre Galvão. He touched me inappropriately during training sessions,” Herse wrote. “He repeatedly commented on my body and my appearance. During training sessions he would take me away from the training partner I chose for myself, send my partner to train with someone else and he would make me train with him. He made sexual moaning sounds in my ear while he was on top of me. And in another instance, when his head was very close to my head he licked my ear.”
Herse, now 18, has been a student of Galvao since she was a child. She alleges she has filed a police report, and also urged all the other victims to speak out.
“I grew up training at Atos, and it was Andre Galvao who promoted me to grey belt as a child. I’m beyond heartbroken. I once looked up to him not only as my professor but as a hero and a father figure, and to know that he would do this not only to me, but to multiple other people is beyond devastating.
“I never wanted this. I have nothing to gain by making this public. I’m choosing to leave behind all my friends and my family. This is my truth. And I know for a fact that I am not the only victim to this. To the other girls, I hope this gives you the courage to come out,” she wrote.
“As much as it hurts, I’m doing my part in making this sport a safer place. I refuse to carry shame that doesn’t belong to me. Silence only protects abusers, and I refuse to be silent anymore. I have filed a report with local law enforcement.”
‘Don’t bite the hand that feeds you’ – Herse says Angelica Galvao tried to cover up allegations
Several Atos grapplers and staff departed the team even before these first pubic allegations, signaling that things have already been discussed internally to some degree.
In Alexa Herse’s statement, she also alleges that when she tried to raise her concerns within the team, Andre Galvao’s wife and fellow BJJ coach, Angelica Galvao, only tried to cover up the incidents.
“I reached out to Angelica Galvao, someone I have always looked up to as a second mother and who has known me and mentored me since I was a kid,” she wrote. “Not only did she do nothing about it, she told me not to say anything, and told me that ‘if it’s wrong, you have to at least act like it’s right.’ And ‘don’t bite the hand that feeds you.’
“She chose to ignore me, silence me, and protect her husband. But, would you still feel this way if it was your daughter? Now she has chosen to discredit me and attempt to covered this up, which in my opinion makes her just as responsible,” Herse wrote.
Andre Galvao releases first statement, claims accusations due to ‘financial changes’
Soon after the first public accusation came to light, Andre Galvao released a lengthy official statement on Feb. 1, 2026, denying the allegations of sexual misconduct.
“Over the past few days, false rumors have circulated online alleging inappropriate conduct with female students. These claims are untrue and we are taking the proper legal steps to protect the integrity of ATOS,” he wrote.
“Our mat space is surrounded by staff, students, cameras and we have always worked to maintain a safe, respectful and transparent training environment. I will not engage in social media disputes, however, I will take the necessary measures to protect our community and my family’s name and assure you that soon everything will come to light,” he claimed.
Galvao claims this is all just a “personal vendetta,” supposedly because of “recent administrative and financial changes” in Atos. The decorated BJJ champion says the person should instead show him some “gratitude” for benefiting from his team.
“This all started by someone who recently left ATOS before this whole thing happened and this person isn’t even stated in the rumors but obviously has a personal vendetta due to financial cuts and administrative decisions,” Galvao claimed. “Which aches our hearts to see such devious ways by someone who has been benefited so much through the years and who should have at least the minimum amount of gratitude and respect for the team.
“If you are a current student or parent and you have any concern or a question, I encourage you to reach out directly. We will take any genuine concern seriously and address it through the proper channels-not through vague accusations on social media,” he wrote. “In the end I have faith that the truth will prevail. I stand alongside my family, Sarah and Angelica through all tribulations.”
Mass exodus from Atos after allegations of sexual misconduct
While several established Atos figures started leaving the team prior to the accusations being made public, a mass exodus has since followed, with dozens of high profile grapplers, academies, and even sponsors severing ties with Andre Galvao and Atos.
Lucas Pinheiro, a two-time world champion from Atos, says that after speaking with several credible members from the team, he is cutting ties with Galvao.
“Today has been one of the hardest days of my life,” Pinheiro wrote. “Anyone who followed my career knows how proud I have always been to represent the Atos Jiu Jitsu flag and how much respect I had for Professor André Galvão. That makes this moment even more painful.
“Today, I spoke directly with several Atos instructors and main professors, people I trust, black belt world champions like myself, who confirmed the accusations involving Alexa & other girls. My wife also spoke with Alexa, who shared that she has already filed a police report. From this point on, the truth will come through the proper legal process.”
Bruno Frazzatto, a fifth-degree black belt and one of the few original Atos core members alongside Galvao, was among the first to cut ties and rename his gym. Two-time ADCC champion, JT Torres, also announced that he is ending his gym’s affiliation with Atos.
MMA Mania has also confirmed that several other Atos gyms have already followed suit — from high profile academies all over the United States, to international affiliates — all distancing themselves from Galvao.
Long considered as one of the all-time greats in BJJ, Galvao created a lucrative empire for himself, even through his retirement. Atos, one of the biggest Brazilian jiu-jitsu academies in the world, boasted several of the world’s top grapplers and also lists 78 affiliate gyms across the globe on its website.
That number has significantly dwindled this past week alone in the wake of these allegations.
Galvao last competed in 2022, losing his ADCC super fight title to Gordon Ryan.
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Category: General Sports
