Iranian Paralympian cyclist Bahman Golbarnezhad died after he crashed during the men’s C4-C5 road race event at the ongoing Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, Reuters reported.
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Saturday’s race began at Pontal and included the Grumari circuit used in the Rio Olympics road races. The IPC said he suffered cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital.
The International Paralympic Committee said he was rushed to a Rio hospital where he died, it also said it would launch an investigation into the circumstances of the crash. “And I think I should say to you all, the most honest and deep condolences from the Paralympic family – and I think that’s important, “from the family” – go to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s National Paralympic Committee”, Craven said.
The Iranian flag was lowered to half-mast in the Paralympic Village, and at the venue where Iran faces Bosnia and Herzegovina in a men’s sitting volleyball final on Sunday.
Forty-eight-year-old Golbarnezhad had also competed in the London 2012 Paralympics.
Golbarnezhad was Iran’s only cyclist at the Paralympic Games, the BBC reports, and had placed 14th in the time-trial on Wednesday.
“An absolutely tragic day for the Paralympic movement” – the words of IPC president Philip Craven after Bahman Golbarnezhad’s death.
“The Paralympic family is united in grief at this horrendous tragedy, which casts a shadow over what have been great Paralympic Games here in Rio”, he said.
“This is very sad news for sport and for the Paralympic movement”.
“He was the kind of man who was a family man”.
Golbarnezhad’s accident occurred during the more than two-hour C4-5 road race for athletes with varying disabilities but still able to bicycle.
“Our hearts and prayers are with Bahman’s family, his team-mates and all the people of Iran”, he added.
A Paralympic biography said Golbarnezhad was born in Shiraz, Iran.
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Officials told the press that Bahman’s family in Iran had already been notified and that he’s team was told of the news during a meeting in the Athletes’ Villiage. It couldn’t be any worse. “It still hits you really, really hard”.
