Basketball coach Cláudio Mortari, who led the Brazilian national team at the 1980 Olympics, died on Thursday (25) in São Paulo at age 77. His family announced the death via his social media, without disclosing the cause, though they mentioned health issues. Mortari leaves a victorious legacy in Brazilian sports.
Cláudio Mortari, born in 1948 in São Paulo, had a brief career as a basketball player before becoming a coach at age 25. Over five decades, he led prominent teams such as Palmeiras, Sírio, Corinthians, Flamengo, and Pinheiros.
His most emblematic achievement came in 1979, when he guided Sírio to the Interclub World Championship title, the first club world championship won by a Brazilian team. Mortari also amassed five Brazilian titles, eight Paulista championships, and three South American titles in his career.
For the Brazilian men's national team, he took the helm at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, securing fifth place. The former coach is the father of Bruno Mortari, who coached São Paulo's basketball team from 2021 to 2024.
Mortari's death was confirmed by his family on his Instagram account, highlighting his impact on Brazilian basketball, but without details on the cause, only noting that he had been facing unspecified health problems.
