Brazilian Olympic judoka Mario Sabino Junior was shot dead on Friday near Sao Paulo at the age of 47, the Brazilian Judo Federation announced.

Sabino Junior represented his country at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games in the -100kg category, and won bronze at the 2003 world championships in Osaka.

He also won gold the same year in the Pan American Games.

“The Brazilian judo family is in mourning after the death of Mario Sabino Junior at the age of 47,” the federation said in a statement.

After retiring he joined the police force and had also been a member of the staff of the national judo team since 2012.

In an unconfirmed version of events, the GI news website quoted Sabino Junior’s police battalion commander as saying the ex-judoka had a “misunderstanding” with a colleague.

Both men were found dead beside a car.

GI also reported Sabino Junior had been shot by his colleague who then turned the gun on himself.

(AFP)