Joao Derly overcomes judo weight struggle and depression

Behind the celebrations of Joao Derly's first world judo title for Brazil lies a tale of a doping ban, weight problems and depression. Derly has served a ban for taking a diuretic, been forced to change weight divisions, been dropped from the Brazilian team for the previous world championships and nearly gave up the sport he loves after failing to qualify for the Athens Olympics.

The 24-year-old Derly put all his problems behind him, however, on a perfect day at this month's world championships in Cairo when he beat Olympic champion Masato Uchishiba of Japan in just 40 seconds in the final to win the under-66kg title.

In 2003, when Derly was fighting in the under-60kg class, he was dropped by the Brazilian selectors for the world championships because of concerns over his ability to lose the weight needed to make his category.

Derly had already served a six-month ban for taking a prohibited diuretic before the South American Games in 2002.
A year later, he was the only Brazilian man to fail to win a medal at the 2003 Pan-American Games in Santo Domingo after losing in the first round.
Team doctors said excessive weight loss was dangerous for his health and was costing him too much energy when he fought.
The selectors removed him from the world championship team, which was due to compete two weeks later, and told him to move up a weight division.

"It was very difficult to get my head in the right place and continue wanting to fight after that," Derly, who hails from Porto Alegre in the south of Brazil, said in an interview.
"The worst thing was not being allowed to do what I enjoy the most -- fighting."

Derly was a prodigy in 2002, winning three tournaments on the European circuit and becoming the most successful fighter in his category at that time.

Hopes were high that he could join a long line of great Brazilian fighters but the dream died suddenly during the South American Games in Brazil when Derly tested positive for a banned substance and was given a six-month suspension.

"It was the doctor of my club in Porto Alegre who prescribed me a diuretic," explained Derly.
"I had a competition two weeks before the South American Games and I had to lose weight, I asked him to help and he said it was okay to take the medication.
"At the time I had no knowledge of this being banned. I told the doctor I would have a doping control and he said there was no problem.
"I was very disappointed with the doctor but I also realised that I needed to be more aware of what I can take if I want to be a high-level athlete in Brazil.
"After all, it was a good thing for judo because now all athletes know you can't take these products. Before it was normal to take diuretics to lose weight but now everyone pays more attention -- I don't take any supplements any more."

After six months out, Derly returned to judo but then came his second major blow when he was dropped from the world championship team.
He took time to adjust to his new weight division and, when he failed to qualify for the Athens Olympics, fell into depression.
"I stayed away from judo for six months, just recovering and surfing," Derly said.

"During this time from 2002 to 2004 I felt like giving up judo many times because it is really tough to recover and get physically in your best condition again.

"When I missed out on the Olympic team I said okay, no more. But then I said to myself, no, I love judo and I love fighting.
"I had two ways to go, either carry on or give up and study or get a job.
"This year I decided to start fighting again but it was tough because I was overweight and I had lost my sharpness. "But I decided I wanted to come back and be a part of the national team again.
"I set out my goal to be a part of the national team and when I achieved that I changed my aims. Next I wanted to be the number one at under 25 so I could go to the Pan-American championships.
"I did that, and won, so then I set out to be the number one senior and once I achieved that and made the world championship team I dreamt of winning a medal. Everything worked so perfectly."
Derly gave his opponent Uchishiba no time to settle into the September 10 final, picking him up three times and dumping him unceremoniously on the tatami mat.

Uchishiba escaped on the first two throws but the third throw scored the maximum knock-out ippon score and Derly cemented his place in Brazilian judo history.

"My victory was not only about me," he said. "It was the work of many athletes throughout the Brazilian story who made the initial steps to help me climb to the top. Now I hope many others can come and join me here."