“Soccer and the Word of Wisdom,” Tambuli, Oct. 1983, 25–26
Soccer and the Word of Wisdom
The life of a professional athlete can be very strenuous—practices, training, exercise, traveling to and from games or matches, meeting the press and the public, and the constant responsibility of performing well. Athletes who are members of the Church testify that living the Word of Wisdom helps them cope with their rigorous lifestyle.
One such athlete is 25-year-old Milton Queiro da Paixao—affectionately known to his fans as Tita—a member of the Brazilian national soccer team. Tita says he owes a great deal of his success and ability to observing the Word of Wisdom.
“Since I was baptized,” he says, “I have diligently followed the principles of the Word of Wisdom. A good diet and a morally clean life have been of great value to me in keeping in excellent physical condition.”
Being in top physical condition is necessary for Tita and his teammates as they participate in soccer matches in various temperatures and climates and at various altitudes. Known for his diligence and concentration in practice and training—he is always one of the last to quit—Tita lives his religion comfortably, and he never misses an opportunity to explain why he doesn’t join others in smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages or tea and coffee.
Luiz Ziwi Pires, a reporter with the publication Zero Hora has commented that Tita is a “well-mannered, clean-cut young man. He treats people courteously and he is always willing to respond to questions about his religion.”
Tita was born 1 April 1958 to Milton Henriques da Paixao and Walstir Queiroz da Paixao. His father was Catholic and, before her marriage, his mother was active in the Methodist church. It was through one of his mother’s brothers, Walter Guedes de Quieroz (former Brazil Porto Alegre Mission president) that the family was introduced to the Church. Eleven-year-old Tita was baptized in 1969 together with his mother and two brothers.
His interest in sports found its outlet in soccer and he participated in Church and school tournaments. His activity with a soccer little league brought him to the attention of the “Flamengo” club and he signed with the Rio de Janeiro-based team. He was drafted to play for the national team in 1979.
A favorite of the fans, Tita’s ability on and off the field has earned him favorable press coverage. But Tita has used his fame not to promote himself but his religion. For example, he used the publicity surrounding his recent marriage in the Sao Paulo Temple to explain that he and his wife-to-be had to live specific standards to be worthy to be married in the temple and enter into an eternal covenant. Among the standards, he told the press, were the principles of the Word of Wisdom.
Tita, a member of the Tijunca Ward, Rio de Janeiro Andarai Stake, said that he and his wife want to be worthy of the eternal covenants they have made. His other goals include living the commandments and being a good example to those with whom he comes in contact, taking advantage of missionary opportunities, and harmonizing his professional life with the standards of the Church.