Alexandre Ramos har arresterats i Portugal och är misstänkt för narkotikabrott.
Den 28-årige brasilianaren som tävlade inom fjädervikt i den första upplagan av The Ultimate Fighter Brazil i 2012, där han förlorade mot Hugo Viana i den första matchen, blev arresterad i Portugal den 22:a april.
Ramos arresterades vid Fransisco Sa Carneiro flygplatsen i Porto, Portugal. Ramos advokat Fabiano Alves bekräftade nyheten till MMAFighting.com.
Enligt hans advokat så hittade polisen droger i en väska med ett gömt fack. Ramos har dock hävdat att han inte visste om innehållet. När han tillfrågades vem som bar ansvaret för drogerna så kommenterade Fabiano Alves att han inte kunde yppa några namn då de portugisiska myndigheterna fortfarande håller på att utreda fallet. Han utryckte följande i ett officiellt uttalade som rapporterades av MMA Fighting:
Upon landing in Portugal, his dream became a disappointment, since he was deceived. The cruelty of the one who practiced such act did not only overthrow an athlete, but made a family collapse, destroyed a life and a promising career, but, like our client, we also believe that he will once again be among the names that have leveled and praised MMA in the national and international ranking.
Ramos som numera tävlar inom weltervikt har sedan sin medverkan i The Ultimate Fighter haft ett matchfacit på 4-3. Ramos senaste MMA match var vid Aspera FC 35 mot Wesley Olivera den 23’e april 2016 där han vann genom submission 50 sekunder in i första ronden.
Arresteringen i Portugal är dock inte Ramos första kontrovers utanför buren.
I 2009, flera år innan han medverkade i dåkusåpan, så var Ramos en av de inblandade i ett enormt slagsmål i samband med en fotbollsmatch i Curitiba. Även om han inte blev åtalad för sina handlingar så ledde händelserna till att Ramos blev utsparkad från Mauricio Ruas gym.
Ramos advokat Fabiano Alves valde att släppa följande officiella uttalande i och med fighterns arrestering för droghandel:
The Fabiano Alves de Melo da Silva and Associate Lawyers Office comes to public to provide clarification about the news reported on May 3, about the MMA fighter Alexandre Henrique Ramos’ arrest in Portugal, allegedly for narcotic trafficking.
It’s important to emphasize that on this date, the fighter’s family had no knowledge of the case through official entities, not even the consular assistance division alongside Itamaraty, with which our lawyers reached out to gather more information about the arrest.
The authorities informed that there was no report from the Brazilian consulate in Portugal. Still on May 3, the consular assistance division volunteered to gather more information on the fact alongside the Brazilian consulate in Portugal.
On May 11, family members and this Office were officially informed of the arrest, when the Brazilian consulate in Porto informed that, on May 8, they received a fax from the judiciary police informing that the Brazilian citizen Alexandre Henrique Ramos was arrested on April 22 for drug trafficking.
The consular assistance also informed that they had contacted Porto’s judiciary police prison and, in a phone call, Mr. Alexandre Henrique Ramos informed he had no knowledge that he was carrying drugs in a false bottom of a suitcase. He also informed that he had already appeared before a judge and denied the practice of the crime, and the pre-trial detention measure had been applied until the case was heard.
The consular agency also reported that the fighter is in good health and that a visit to the prison will be scheduled soon to obtain updated information.
We also clarify that after the intervention of the Brazilian consular agency, Mr. Alexandre made phone contact with the family and our office yesterday, May 12, and the athlete reiterated that he was innocent of the charges because he didn’t know he was carrying a narcotic substance in his suitcase. He clarified that he went to Portugal because he received an offer as a professional athlete.
He lamented the suffering of his family, friends and fans, and said he supports the institutions that are fulfilling their role by carrying out investigations and is available to the authorities to collaborate on what is needed. He also believes that at the end of the investigations all the facts will be clarified and that he will be acquitted.
The athlete was strong and said that he will return to be among the names that leveraged and praised MMA in the national and international ranking. Our office is convinced of Mr. Alexandre’s innocence, because everyone who knows him knows that he brings with him an example of honesty, humility and commitment to work.
We should also point out that, contrary to what was reported by the media, the fighter was not arrested in 2009 in the incident at the Couto Pereira Stadium during the last round of the Brazilian championship, but that fact has generated sanctions and losses in his professional and personal career.
However, the athlete didn’t give up and acquired maturity with the incident, overcame all obstacles, with the support of family, sponsors and friends and even without financial conditions, but with determination he was climbing all the steps, conquering wins, titles and awards. National pride!
However, as in other sports, an athlete only has visibility while he wins. The setback came, crisis, outbreak. While he was not scheduled to fights, he wouldn’t stop training. He faced health issues, lack of money and various difficulties, when he received an offer of employment, invited to go as an athlete to Europe.
Upon landing in Portugal, his dream became a disappointment, since he was deceived. The cruelty of the one who practiced such act did not only overthrow an athlete, but made a family collapse, destroyed a life and a promising career, but, like our client, we also believe that he will once again be among the names that have leveled and praised MMA in the national and international ranking.
Curitiba, May 13, 2017.
Fabiano Alves de Melo da Silva
