Iranian para-cyclist dies after crash at Rio Paralympics
An Iranian para-cyclist died Saturday after a crash during a race at the Rio Paralympics.
Bahman Golbarnezhad, 48, was involved in a crash in a mountainous part of his race's course. He received treatment at the side of the road and was on his way to the Paralympics' athlete hospital when he went into cardiac arrest, the International Paralympic Committee said. He was rushed to a Rio hospital where he died soon after arriving.
“This is truly heartbreaking news and the thoughts and condolences of the whole Paralympic Movement are with Bahman’s family, friends, and teammates as well as the whole of the National Paralympic Committee of Iran," IPC President Philip Craven said in a statement.
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The Iranian flag was lowered to half mast in the Paralympic Village and there will be a moment of silence during closing ceremonies on Sunday.
The International Paralympic Committee also said it would launch an investigation into the circumstances of the crash.
Golbarnezhad also competed in the 2012 Paralympics in London.
Golbarnezhad's death was the first during competition at any Olympics Games since 1960, when Danish cyclist Knud Enemark Jensen died during the 100km team time trial in Rome, BBC reported.
The race Saturday took place on circuits also used in the Rio Olympics.
Topics Olympics
Emma Hinchliffe is a business reporter at Mashable. Before joining Mashable, she covered business and metro news at the Houston Chronicle.
