The last full day of Paralympics competition was scarred with tragedy rather than concluding triumph when an Iranian cyclist died after crashing in the C4 road race.
Bahman Golbarnezhad, 48, crashed on the first section of the Grumari loop, a mountainous stretch of the course. He was treated at the scene and was being taken to athlete hospital when he suffered a cardiac arrest.
The ambulance diverted to the nearby Unimed Rio Hospital in Barra but he died shortly after arrival.
The Iranian and Paralympics flags were lowered to half-mast in the Paralympic Village and at the Rio Centro venue where Iran play Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday in the sitting volleyball gold medal match. A moment of silence will be held during the subsequent Closing Ceremony, Aips media reported.
An investigation has been launched. Crashes in the road race produced controversy about the safety of the course during the Olympic Games in August.
A statement from the International Paralympic Committee said the athlete’s family back home had been informed and the Iranian team was brought together in the Athlete Village to be told the news. . IPC president Sir Philip Craven said: “This is truly heart-breaking 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.
“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.”
Rio 2016 organising president Carlos Nuzman and Brian Cookson, head of the international cycling federation UCI both echoed Craven.
Nuzman said: “This is very sad news for sport and for the Paralympic movement. Our hearts and prayers are with Bahman’s family, his teammates and all the people of Iran.”
Cookson added: “I am devastated to hear about the death of Bahman Golbarnezhad. Our thoughts are with his family and friends, and the NPC of Iran to whom we offer our most sincere condolences.”
This was Golbarnezhad’s second race at Rio. On Wednesday he finished 14th in the C4 time trial. He also competed at London in 2012.
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