Basketball coach Cláudio Mortari, who led the Brazilian men’s team at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, died this Thursday (25), in São Paulo, at the age of 77. The information was released by the family on the coach’s Instagram. The cause of death was not revealed.
Born in the capital of São Paulo in 1948, Mortari played basketball for a short period and, at the age of 25, began his career as a coach. Over five decades, he commanded teams such as Palmeiras, Sírio, Corinthians, Flamengo and Pinheiros.
In 1979, he achieved his most important achievement, the Interclub World Cup, with Sírio, from São Paulo. Mortari was also five-time Brazilian champion and eight-time São Paulo champion.
With the team, Mortari reached fifth place at the Moscow Olympics.
The former coach is the father of Bruno Mortari, coach of the São Paulo basketball team from 2021 to 2024.
