after the Moscow Games, the Australian newspaper The Sydney Morning Herald, the largest in Australia, made a major report demonstrating that the Brazilian's canceled jumps were part of a Soviet operation to give Saneyev the fourth Olympic title. The plan didn't work out because of Uudmäe's best jump, but even so, the gold medal went to the USSR. In contrast to the lack of luck in the Olympics, in the pre-World Championships in Athletics, João do Pulo was three-time world champion in the triple jump in 1977 (in Düsseldorf), 1979 (in Montreal) and 1981 (in Rome, with 17.37 m, beating Jaak Uudmäe, a year after the Olympics, and future world record holder Willie Banks of the United States). Flag bearer of Brazil in the opening parade in Montreal 1976 and in Moscow 1980, João was the main idol of the Brazilian sport between 1975 and 1981. Death In 1981, he was in a car accident near São Paulo in which he lost one leg. Afterward, he became a vocal advocate for the rights of the disabled. He died in 1999 from complications of alcoholism. His world record was only broken almost ten years later, by the North American Willie Banks, with 17.90 m, in Indianapolis, on June 16, 1985. His Brazilian and South American record was only broken more than twenty-one years ago. later, by Jadel Gregório, with 17.90 m, in Belém, on May 20, 2007 (who coincidentally was also an athlete of João do Pulo's former coach). References 1954 births 1999 deaths People from Pindamonhangaba Brazilian male triple jumpers Brazilian male long jumpers Olympic athletes of Brazil Olympic bronze medalists for Brazil Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field) Athletes (track and field) at the 1976 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1980 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1976 Summer Olympics Pan American Games athletes for Brazil Pan American Games gold medalists for Brazil Pan American Games medalists in athletics (track and field) Athletes (track and field) at the 1975 Pan American Games Athletes (track and field) at the 1979 Pan American Games World record setters in athletics (track and field) Deaths from cirrhosis Alcohol-related deaths in Brazil Medalists at the 1975 Pan American Games Medalists at the 1979 Pan American Games Sportspeople from São Paulo (state) 20th-century Brazilian people