Colby Covington called Sao Paulo, Brazil a “dump” after a decision victory over Demian Maia on Saturday – and it got very real, very fast. American Top Team (ATT) co-founder Ricardo Liborio has broken ties with the team over it.
Here’s what Ricardo posted on social media.
I feel that I must make a statement in light of the comments made by Colby Convington along with the amount of messages sent to me from Brazil, the United States, and from all over the world.
I’m here to state that I am no longer with American Top Team. Also, I absolutely do not condone any behavior that instigates hate, prejudice, or bullying of any kind. It upsets me to see the sport taking this direction of blatant disrespect. It’s unsportsmanlike, but it also fosters and promotes a culture of cruelty towards others. Combat Sports should always represent the qualities of humility, empathy, and respect.
I dedicated my life to the Martial arts, and to the formation and growth of this team. I can not discuss at this time the reasons for my departure from ATT. At some point, I will. For the time being, I want the members of ATT to know that they will always be in my heart❤
Brazilians are very patriotic and the country is less forgiving of negative comments.