‘True black belt’; fighting world pays tribute after tragedy with Leandro Lo

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The fighting world was shocked this Sunday (7) with the news that the jiu-jitsu world champion Leandro Lo was shot during the night after a fight at a show in São Paulo. The family’s lawyer, Ivã Siqueira Junior, informed, still in the morning, that the athlete was confirmed brain dead.

In a publication, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Confederation stated that “Lo was one of the greatest athletes our sport has ever produced”. “An example of an athlete, a true black belt, a martial artist and a champion on and off the mats”.

The Brazilian Sports Jiu-Jitsu Confederation stated that it was paying homage and reverence to those who helped and inspired so many people to wear the gi around the world. “His name is on the list of the benefactors of our entity”, he said.

MMA fighter Demian Maia, an expert in jiu-jitsu, paid tribute to Lo and his family on social media. “Much more important than how you left is how you lived. And what a life you had. Rest in peace Leandro”, posted Maia.

Also fighter Augusto Tanquinho published two photos, one of the two hugging, in gi, and another of the two in combat. “Lo made me a better athlete and made me evolve, I owe him a lot, in fact all jiu-jitsu owes him, a genius, an ace in our sport,” he said.

The North American school Unity Jiu-Jitsu School, a reference in the sport, published a photo of the fighter and said he was the greatest of them all. “The dearest, the most warrior, the most good people. Eternal hero of all who had the privilege of knowing you”, he wrote, in Portuguese.

The IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation) has published in English that Lo’s global influence, passion and dedication to jiu-jitsu will be forever remembered and honored.

The violence in the dawn of this Sunday in the south zone of São Paulo also gained repercussion abroad. The international channel for broadcasting fights FloGrappling made a big publication on its website and recalled that the Brazilian has eight world titles.

On Leandro Lo’s official profile on Instagram, around 3 pm this Sunday, there were almost 7,000 comments about the tragedy, in one of the photos of the Brazilian athlete.

Activist and guardianship counselor Jota Marques, who lives in Cidade de Deus, Rio de Janeiro, said he followed Leandro Lo since he was a child. “We are close in age. Because of athletes like him, I didn’t give up on jiu-jitsu and even dreamed of becoming a professional. Lo was a lion. A king on the mat. The policeman: A coward. Murderer!!”

Federal deputy Alexandre Frota (PSDB), a jiu-jitsu practitioner, asked that anyone with information about the military police officer suspected of shooting Leandro Lo should call 190, the PM’s phone.

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