{{Short description|Brazilian judoka (born 1992)}} {{Distinguish|Rafael Silva (judoka)}} {{Portuguese name|Lopes|Silva}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox judoka | name = Rafaela Silva | image = 11.07.2024 - Encontro com Atletas Paralímpicos e Olímpicos (53850089201) (cropped Rafaela Silva).jpg | image_size = | caption = Silva in July 2024 | full_name = Rafaela Lopes Silva | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|4|24|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Rio de Janeiro]], [[Rio de Janeiro (state)|RJ]], Brazil | height = 169 cm <!-- Sport --> | country = {{flagu|Brazil}} | weight_class = {{nbnd}}57 kg, {{nbnd}}63 kg | rank = <!-- Belt color ONLY. Automated when "dan" is used. --> | rank_ref = | dan = <!-- Dan rank (number, 1-11), for Black belts only --> | club = Instituto Reação<ref name=cob>[http://www.cob.org.br/pt/atletas/rafaela-lopes-silva Rafaela Lopes Silva] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919121704/https://www.cob.org.br/pt/atletas/rafaela-lopes-silva |date=19 September 2016 }}. cob.org.br</ref> | coach = Geraldo Bernardes <!-- Achievements and titles --> | olympics_rank = 1 | olympics_year = 2016 | olympics_weight = Women's 57 kg | worlds_rank = 1 | worlds_year = 2013 | worlds_weight = Women's 57 kg | worlds_year2 = 2022 | worlds_weight2 = Women's 57 kg | regionals_type = AM | regionals_rank = 1 | regionals_year = 2012 | regionals_weight = <!-- Optional – To link to specific weightclass competition article (when one exists) --> | regionals_year2 = 2013 | regionals_weight2 = <!-- Optional – To link to specific weightclass competition article (when one exists) --> | regionals_year3 = 2024 | regionals_weight3 = <!-- Optional – To link to specific weightclass competition article (when one exists) --> | nationals = <!-- Medal record --> | show-medals = | medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport| Women's [[judo]] }} {{Medal|Country| {{BRA}} }} {{Medal|Competition| [[Judo at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] }} {{Medal|G| [[Judo at the 2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Rio de Janeiro]] | [[Judo at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's 57 kg|{{nbnd}}57 kg]] }} {{Medal|B| [[Judo at the 2024 Summer Olympics|2024 Paris]] | [[Judo at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Mixed team|Mixed team]] }} {{Medal|Competition| [[World Judo Championships|World Championships]] }} {{Medal|G| [[2013 World Judo Championships|2013 Rio de Janeiro]] | [[2013 World Judo Championships – Women's 57 kg|{{nbnd}}57 kg]] }} {{Medal|G| [[2022 World Judo Championships|2022 Tashkent]] | [[2022 World Judo Championships – Women's 57 kg|{{nbnd}}57 kg]] }} {{Medal|S| [[2011 World Judo Championships|2011 Paris]] | [[2011 World Judo Championships – Women's 57 kg|{{nbnd}}57 kg]] }} {{Medal|S| 2013 Rio de Janeiro | [[2013 World Judo Championships – Women's team|Women's team]] }} {{Medal|S| [[2017 World Judo Championships|2017 Budapest]] | [[2017 World Judo Championships – Mixed team|Mixed team]] }} {{Medal|B| [[2019 World Judo Championships|2019 Tokyo]] | [[2019 World Judo Championships – Women's 57 kg|{{nbnd}}57 kg]] }} {{Medal|B| 2019 Tokyo | [[2019 World Judo Championships – Mixed team|Mixed team]] }} {{Medal|Competition| [[Judo at the Pan American Games|Pan American Games]] }} {{Medal|G| [[Judo at the 2023 Pan American Games|2023 Santiago]] | [[Judo at the 2023 Pan American Games – Women's 57 kg|{{nbnd}}57 kg]] }} {{Medal|S| [[Judo at the 2011 Pan American Games|2011 Guadalajara]] | [[Judo at the 2011 Pan American Games – Women's 57 kg|{{nbnd}}57 kg]] }} {{Medal|S| [[Judo at the 2023 Pan American Games|2023 Santiago]] | [[Judo at the 2023 Pan American Games – Mixed team|Mixed team]] }} {{Medal|B| [[Judo at the 2015 Pan American Games|2015 Toronto]] | [[Judo at the 2015 Pan American Games – Women's 57 kg|{{nbnd}}57 kg]] }} {{Medal|DQ| [[Judo at the 2019 Pan American Games|2019 Lima]] | [[Judo at the 2019 Pan American Games – Women's 57 kg|{{nbnd}}57 kg]] }} {{Medal|Competition| [[Pan American Judo Championships|Pan American Championships]] }} {{Medal|G| [[2012 Pan American Judo Championships|2012 Montreal]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|G| [[2013 Pan American Judo Championships|2013 San José]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|G| [[2024 Pan American-Oceania Judo Championships|2024 Rio de Janeiro]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2014 Pan American Judo Championships|2014 Guayaquil]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2015 Pan American Judo Championships|2015 Edmonton]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2019 Pan American Judo Championships|2019 Lima]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2023 Pan American-Oceania Judo Championships|2023 Calgary]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2026 Pan American Judo Championships|2026 Panama City]] | {{nbnd}}63 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2011 Pan American Judo Championships|2011 Guadalajara]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2016 Pan American Judo Championships|2016 Havana]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2022 Pan American-Oceania Judo Championships|2022 Lima]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2025 Pan American-Oceania Judo Championships|2025 Santiago]] | {{nbnd}}63 kg }} {{Medal|Competition| [[Judo World Masters|World Masters]] }} {{Medal|B| [[2012 Judo World Masters|2012 Almaty]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|Competition| [[Judo Grand Slam|IJF Grand Slam]] }} {{Medal|G| [[2019 Judo Grand Slam Baku|2019 Baku]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|G| [[2023 Judo Grand Slam Antalya|2023 Antalya]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|G| [[2026 Judo Grand Slam Paris|2026 Paris]] | {{nbnd}}63 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2011 Judo Grand Slam Rio de Janeiro|2011 Rio de Janeiro]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2017 Judo Grand Slam Abu Dhabi|2017 Abu Dhabi]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2019 Judo Grand Slam Düsseldorf|2019 Düsseldorf]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2022 Judo Grand Slam Budapest|2022 Budapest]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2024 Judo Grand Slam Astana|2024 Astana]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2009 Judo Grand Slam Rio de Janeiro|2009 Rio de Janeiro]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2011 Judo Grand Slam Tokyo|2011 Tokyo]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2012 Judo Grand Slam Tokyo|2012 Tokyo]] | {{nbnd}}63 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2013 Judo Grand Slam Moscow|2013 Moscow]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2014 Judo Grand Slam Paris|2014 Paris]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2014 Judo Grand Slam Tokyo|2014 Tokyo]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2016 Judo Grand Slam Paris|2016 Paris]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2017 Judo Grand Slam Ekaterinburg|2017 Ekaterinburg]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2019 Judo Grand Slam Brasilia|2019 Brasilia]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2022 Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi|2022 Tbilisi]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2024 Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi|2024 Tbilisi]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2025 Judo Grand Slam Astana|2025 Astana]] | {{nbnd}}63 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2025 Judo Grand Slam Abu Dhabi|2025 Abu Dhabi]] | {{nbnd}}63 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2026 Judo Grand Slam Astana|2026 Astana]] | {{nbnd}}63 kg }} {{Medal|Competition| [[International Judo Federation|IJF]] Grand Prix }} {{Medal|G| [[2011 Judo Grand Prix Düsseldorf|2011 Düsseldorf]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|G| [[2015 Judo Grand Prix Düsseldorf|2015 Düsseldorf]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|G| [[2016 Judo Grand Prix Tbilisi|2016 Tbilisi]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|G| [[2018 Judo Grand Prix Budapest|2018 Budapest]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|G| [[2018 Judo Grand Prix Cancún|2018 Cancún]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|G| [[2019 Judo Grand Prix Budapest|2019 Budapest]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|G| [[2022 Judo Grand Prix Almada|2022 Almada]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|G| [[2026 Judo Grand Prix Linz|2026 Linz]] | {{nbnd}}63 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2013 Judo Grand Prix Qingdao|2013 Qingdao]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2017 Judo Grand Prix Tbilisi|2017 Tbilisi]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2019 Judo Grand Prix Tbilisi|2019 Tbilisi]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|S| [[2023 Judo Grand Prix Almada|2023 Almada]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2012 Judo Grand Prix Düsseldorf|2012 Düsseldorf]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2016 Judo Grand Prix Havana|2016 Havana]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|B| [[2025 Judo Grand Prix Guadalajara|2025 Guadalajara]] | {{nbnd}}63 kg }} {{Medal|Competition| [[World Judo Juniors Championships|World Juniors Championships]] }} {{Medal|G| [[2008 World Judo Juniors Championships|2008 Bangkok]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|Competition| [[Military World Games]] }} {{Medal|G| [[2015 Military World Games|2015 Mungyeong]] | {{nbnd}}57 kg }} {{Medal|G| [[2015 Military World Games|2015 Mungyeong]] | Women's team }} | updated = 10 May 2026 }}
'''Rafaela Lopes Silva''' (born 24 April 1992) is a Brazilian [[judoka]]. She won gold medals at the [[World Judo Championships]] of [[2013 World Judo Championships – Women's 57 kg|2013]] and [[2022 World Judo Championships – Women's 57 kg|2022]] and at the [[Judo at the 2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Summer Olympics]] in the [[Judo at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's 57 kg|–57 kg weight division]].<ref>{{cite Sports-Reference}}</ref> Currently, she occupies the rank of graduation third sergeant in the Navy of Brazil and integrates the Center of Physical Education Admiral Nunes (CEFAN), the Military Sports Department.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}
In August 2013, she was the first Brazilian woman to become a world champion in Judo.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}
==Biography== Rafaela Silva grew up in the [[Favela|Rio de Janeiro slum]] known as [[Cidade de Deus, Rio de Janeiro|Cidade de Deus]]. The first sport she liked was football, practicing against other children in a dirt field near her home in Jacarepagua. Because they were concerned about fights and violence in the streets, when Rafaela was 7 years old her parents<ref>{{cite web|last1=Paradella|first1=Rodrigo|title=Rafaela Silva troca futebol por judô e supera drama familiar com ouro|url=http://esporte.uol.com.br/judo/ultimas-noticias/2013/08/29/rafaela-silva-troca-futebol-por-judo-e-supera-drama-familiar-com-ouro.htm|publisher=UOL Esporte|access-date=8 August 2016|language=pt-BR|date=29 August 2013}}</ref> Luiz Carlos and Zenilda Silva signed her up, together with her sister, Raquel, for judo classes at the Institute Reaction, newly established at Cidade de Deus by the former athlete [[Flávio Canto]].
"I started judo in 2000, early in the project. My father put me in the sport as an alternative to fighting in the street. In Judo, I found discipline, I respect the other and began to take the sport seriously. Judo showed me the world. With the resources I get, I guarantee my support and help my family pay the bills. "
==Judo career== [[File:Rafaella Silva.jpg|thumb|left|Rafaela Silva, with her gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.]] Silva won her first major medal by claiming silver at the [[2011 World Judo Championships]] in Paris.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.intjudo.eu/News/cikk19647|title=World Judo Championships, Paris 2011 – DAY 2 RESULTS|access-date=26 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110913172719/http://intjudo.eu/News/cikk19647|archive-date=13 September 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> During the [[2013 World Judo Championships]] in Rio de Janeiro, Silva became the first woman to win a gold medal for Brazil in a [[World Judo Championship]] after defeating American [[Marti Malloy]] in the final.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://198.71.59.59/www.judo-world.net/ijf/world/wc2013/tta.php?tta_mode=&aktion=kampfliste&klasse=-57&sprache=english|title=IJF World Championship Seniors 2013 – Category -57 kg|access-date=20 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129062502/http://198.71.59.59/www.judo-world.net/ijf/world/wc2013/tta.php?tta_mode=&aktion=kampfliste&klasse=-57&sprache=english|archive-date=29 November 2014}}</ref> She repeated the feat at the [[2016 Summer Olympics]] by defeating Mongolian [[Sumiya Dorjsuren]] in the final.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rafaela Silva wins Brazil's first gold medal of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games|url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/news/brazilian-judoka-rafaela-silva-wins-brazil-s-first-gold-medal-of-the-rio-2016-olympic-games|publisher=Rio 2016|access-date=8 August 2016|archive-date=9 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809141543/https://www.rio2016.com/en/news/brazilian-judoka-rafaela-silva-wins-brazil-s-first-gold-medal-of-the-rio-2016-olympic-games|url-status=dead}}</ref>
At the [[2012 London Olympics]], Silva was disqualified for an illegal leg grab during a fight against [[Hedvig Karakas]] of Hungary.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-rio-judo-w-silva/judo-racism-inspires-brazils-golden-girl-to-greatness-idUSKCN10K1SC Judo: Racism inspires Brazil's golden girl to greatness] Reuters, Tatiana Ramil, 9 August 2016</ref> Upon returning home, she became depressed. In December 2012, she was a bronze medalist at the [[2012 Judo Grand Slam Tokyo|Judo Grand Slam Tokyo]] (category up to 63 kg).
Silva won gold and bronze in [[Judo at the 2019 Pan American Games|2019 Pan American Games]] and [[2019 World Judo Championships – Women's 57 kg|2019 Judo World Championships]], respectively, but tested positive for [[fenoterol]] after the former tournament.<ref name=espn>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/judo/story/_/id/30574719/olympic-judo-champion-rafaela-silva-loses-appeal-2-year-doping-ban|title=Olympic judo champion Rafaela Silva loses appeal of 2-year doping ban|date=21 December 2020|publisher=[[ESPN]] }}</ref> Despite testing negative in the World Championships, she was banned from competition for two years by [[International Judo Federation|IJF]] and stripped of both medals.<ref name=espn /> Silva appealed the sanction, but the [[Court of Arbitration for Sport|CAS]] upheld the ban in late 2020.<ref name=espn />
==Mixed martial arts career== Being temporarily banned from judo, Silva opted to transition to mixed martial arts. She is currently training at [[Professional Fighters League|PFL]] athlete Joilton Santos' gym Peregrino Fight Academy with [[Ultimate Fighting Championship|UFC]] athlete [[Cláudio Silva]] and is expected to compete in the [[Flyweight (MMA)|flyweight]] division.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Olympic-Brazilian-World-Judo-Champion-Rafaela-Silva-Moves-to-MMA-177297|title=Olympic, Brazilian World Judo Champion Rafaela Silva Moves to MMA|author=Marcelo Alonso|date=22 January 2021|work=[[Sherdog]] }}</ref>
==Personal life== In an interview with ''Globo Esporte'', Rafaela [[came out]] as lesbian. She spoke about her girlfriend Thamara Cezar, whom she met via judo.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brazilian Judo Gold Medalist Publicly Opens Up About Girlfriend For First Time|date=10 August 2016 |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rafaela-silva-girlfriend_us_57ab93a2e4b0db3be07cfeda |publisher=Huffington Post|access-date=19 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Brazilian gold medal judo champion comes out publicly as gay|date=10 August 2016 |url=http://www.outsports.com/2016/8/10/12425422/rafaela-silva-brazil-gay-judo-coming-out |publisher=Outsposts|access-date=19 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=O alicerce que ninguém vê: namorada cuida de tudo para que Rafaela só lute|url= http://globoesporte.globo.com/olimpiadas/judo/noticia/2016/08/o-alicerce-que-ninguem-ve-namorada-cuida-de-tudo-para-que-rafaela-so-lutee.html|work=Globo Esporte|date= 10 August 2016|language=pt|access-date=19 December 2016}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category-inline}} * {{Sports links|properties=-P4191}} <!-- * {{Sports reference}} already in References & current website Olympedia displayed via {{Sports links}} --> * [https://web.archive.org/web/20241007141806/https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/rafaela-silva_1953835 Rafaela Silva] at the [[Paris 2024 Summer Olympics]] (archived, [https://paris2024.rtve.es/es/paris-2024/atleta/rafaela-silva_1953835 alternate link]) * {{2019 Pan American Games profile|judo/athlete-profile-n1144838-silva-rafaela|www-archive=20240917133315}} * {{Instagram}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ach|aw}} {{succession box | before = [[Ana Marcela Cunha]] | after = [[Mayra Aguiar]] | title = [[Prêmio Brasil Olímpico|Brazilian Sportswomen of the Year]] | years = 2016 }} {{Succession box | before= [[Thiago Pereira]] | after= [[Caio Bonfim]] | title = [[Prêmio Brasil Olímpico|Brazilian Athlete of the Year (Fan's Choice)]] | years = 2016 }} {{s-end}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Judo Lightweight Women}} {{WC Judo Women's Lightweight}} {{Footer Pan American Champions Judo Lightweight Women}} {{Prêmio Brasil Olímpico}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Silva, Rafaela}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Judoka at the 2011 Pan American Games]] [[Category:Judoka at the 2015 Pan American Games]] [[Category:Judoka at the 2023 Pan American Games]] [[Category:Judoka at the 2012 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Judoka at the 2016 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Judoka at the 2024 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Olympic judoka for Brazil]] [[Category:1992 births]] [[Category:Brazilian female judoka]] [[Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for Brazil]] [[Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for Brazil]] [[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Brazil]] [[Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Olympic medalists in judo]] [[Category:Pan American Games silver medalists in judo]] [[Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists in judo]] [[Category:Pan American Games judoka for Brazil]] [[Category:Afro-Brazilian LGBTQ people]] [[Category:Afro-Brazilian sportspeople]] [[Category:Judoka from Rio de Janeiro (city)]] [[Category:Brazilian lesbian sportswomen]] [[Category:LGBTQ judoka]] [[Category:Brazilian sportspeople in doping cases]] [[Category:Doping cases in judo]] [[Category:Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games]] [[Category:Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games]] [[Category:Medalists at the 2023 Pan American Games]] [[Category:Military World Games gold medalists for Brazil]] [[Category:Military World Games medalists in judo]] [[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Brazil]] [[Category:21st-century Brazilian sportswomen]]