“With enormous regret we have to say Sarafraz Bahman Golbarnezhad.has died after an accident while racing”, Iran’s Paralympic Committee said in a statement. The 48-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest after being involved in a crash in the C4-5 event and passed away yesterday in a hospital.
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“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.
United States Olympic Team (via Twitter): “Our thoughts are with the friends, family and team-mates of Team Iran’s inspirational cyclist Bahman Golbarnezhad”.
The veteran cyclist had also competed for Iran at the London 2012 Paralympics, and was his country’s only representative in cycling in Rio.
“He was the kind of man who was a family man”.
Following Golbarnezhad’s death, the Iranian flag was lowered to half-mast in the Paralympic Village, according to the statement.
“We are now more motivated than ever to deliver the best possible Games in four years’ time”, he told journalists on Saturday.
As investigations are launched into the death of the Iranian para-cyclist, the Paralympics flag will fly with a little less vigor at the close of what has been some extraordinary Games in Rio.
The Vista Chinesa circuit – which included a treacherous descent where Annemiek van Vleuten of the Netherlands crashed into the curb, sustaining heavy concussion during the Olympics in August – was not part of the Paralympic course.
Golbarnezhad had his lower left leg amputated following injuries sustained during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.
“First of all, we’re looking to try and gather as much information as we can from people in the area, from people who were in the convoy, to try and build up as clear a picture as we can”.
A “moment of silence” in his memory will be held during the closing ceremony, which begins at 23:30 BST. He loved his family, he loved his son.
“This is a very hard situation”.
Bahman Golbarnezhad died after suffering a cardiac arrest on the way to hospital.
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Craven gave his assurances that any firm facts established would be communicated to Iran’s NPC and Golbarnezhad’s family prior to full publication of the report.
