2018 IBJJF World champion Mahamed Aly is well-known for his media output, where he often communicates with fans via his regular Portuguese-language YouTube shows, podcasts and social media posts. 

As part of a Q&A with fans on his Instagram page, Aly admitted to having used anabolic steroids in the past and briefly shared his experience. 

An anonymous fan asked “Do you take a lot of anabolics?” to which Aly responded: 

“Man, I have taken, but it’s not something I do. At the end of the day I don’t think it’s good for my performance. I think that it takes away from your feeling of deserving it. Doing something that in theory is illegal, it takes away from your sense of worthiness.”

The brief statement did not specify when or at what stage in his career Aly took steroids.

Aly vs Keenan in 2018. 

Aly is the first high-profile black belt to admit to having used PEDs that has not tested positive for doping. 

Since the IBJJF instituted testing for PEDs in 2014, seven back belt world champions have been sanctioned for anti-doping violations. They are: 

• Gabi Garcia, 2013, clomiphene (no sanction, only loss of results) 
• Braulio Estima, 2013, methylhexaneamine, two-year suspension
• Felipe Pena, 2014, testosterone, one-year suspension
• Leo Nogueira, 2016, clomiphene, two-year suspension
• Paulo Miyao, 2016, clomiphene, two-year suspension
• Tayane Porfirio, 2018, 19‐norandrosterone (19‐NA) and 19-noretiocholanolone, four-year suspension
• Kaynan Duarte, 2019, ostarine, one-year suspension.  

Rio de Janeiro-born Aly, who trains in Maryland, captured the IBJJF World Championship in 2018 when he beat Leandro Lo for the super heavyweight gold medal. 

Aly is a regular fixture on the world scene in both gi and no-gi events, and has placed on the podium at most major events including the IBJJF European and Pan Championships. He twice finished in fourth place at ADCC. 

The IBJJF abides by the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code and World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list, and engages the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to conduct doping control at IBJJF events including the annual World and World No-Gi Championships. 

Aly declined to speak with FloGrappling when asked to comment.