Photos: Paolo Jamir

The Federal District Military Police Combat Team (PMDF) is preparing to represent Brazil at the 2023 World Police and Fire Games (WPFG), which will be held in Winnipeg, Canada. With modalities such as judo, jiu-jitsu and karate, police athletes have a history of excellent results, always bringing a large number of medals to the company.

The PMDF debuted in the competition in 2005 in Quebec, Canada, and the company’s representative was Lt. Col. Nafêz. His participation came after an invitation from the WPFG Federation of San Diego, USA, addressed to the PMDF General Commander at the time, Coronel Azevedo. The Canadians wanted the PMDF to be represented in the games by Nafêz, as the officer had stood out in national judo.

Coronel Azevedo decided to allow the athlete to participate, but made him promise that he would return with the title. Promise kept and the first PMDF athlete to compete in the WPFG became champion.

Since then, the PMDF has invested in other combat modalities, always relying on police athletes who combine police duty with the strenuous routine of a top athlete. New names have already emerged since the PMDF’s first participation in the event. Among them, we can mention Sergeants Ricardo Amaro in judo and Sergeants Bernardo in jiu-jitsu, who already collect national and international titles.

Sergeant Bernardo, who works at Rotam, collects a large number of national and international titles. To name a few, the policeman has already been a Brazilian, South American and World Jiu-Jitsu champion. Competing for the PMDF, he won the WFPG in the 2015 editions, 2017 he won the jiu-jitu fight in the submission modality (jiu-jitsu no-gi). In 2019, he came second in the gi and no-gi disciplines after sustaining a serious injury in the final. In 2022, Bernardo was again champion in both modalities.

The athlete is preparing for new achievements this year and enjoys greater support from society. “Corporation command support is much greater this year. In addition, there is a greater involvement of police athletes and today we have a permanent jiu-jitsu team for the games, coordinated by Major Broocke, with weekly training at the Rotam Battalion,” Bernardo pointed out.

Bernardo is also recognized by one of the founders of the social project of Rotam, which promotes jiu-jitsu courses for young people in Cidade Estrutural.

Sergeant Ricardo Amaro is another strong name in the PMDF combat teams. The policeman coordinates the training of the judo team for the games.

Amaro was the company’s second athlete to compete in WPFG in 2009, winning the competition that year. In addition to this title, the policeman accumulates several others throughout his career. Among them, the triple Brazilian championship deserves to be highlighted, the Ibero-American one in 2010, in 2012 he was European champion of police and firefighters, in 2016 he was Latin American champion. Already as a veteran he was South American champion in 2010.

The judo team maintained an intense routine of training and competition. Athletes participated in all stages of this year’s Judo Championship in Brasilia, promoted by the Brazilian Judo Federation, winning several medals.

“We intend to be well prepared for the WPFG games in Winnipeg, Canada. And for this, we seek to reconcile our training with the work routine at the service of the community. We hope to bring good results to PMDF, enhancing the name of the company that I love so much and that I am proud to represent. Said Sergeant Ricardo Amaro.

The other martial art that engages PMDF athletes to bring medals to WPFG 2023 is karate. In the team, Sergeants Adriano and Arthur Coelho stand out, who intensified training in 2024 for the tournament.

The athletes received support from the Candanga Karate Federation, trained with fighters from the Federal District national team and also from the Brazilian national team.

To complete their preparation, police officers participate in regional, national and international competitions. They achieved meaningful results, demonstrating that they are well on their way to representing the PMDF well within the WPFG.

It is expected that PMDF athletes could exceed the number of medals won in the previous edition of the games. The corporation’s participation in WPFG 2023 reinforces the importance of the practice of sport for the health and quality of life of police officers, in addition to demonstrating the excellence of the corporation in various fields of activity.