Iranian cyclist death casts pall over Paralympic Games after suffering cardiac arrest

Iranian cyclist Sarafraz Bahman Golbarnezhad has died after crashing in the C4-5 event at the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics, the first such death at the Games since they began in 1960, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has said.

“The IPC confirm that Golbarnezhad, 48, was involved in a crash at around 1040 on the first section of the Grumari loop, a mountainous stretch of the course,” the International Paralympic Committee said.

“The athlete received treatment at the scene and was in the process of being taken to the athlete hospital when he suffered a cardiac arrest.

“The ambulance diverted to the nearby Unimed Rio Hospital in Barra da Tijuca where he passed away soon after arrival.”

An investigation into the accident has been launched.

“As far as we’re aware it is the first fatal accident in a Paralympics,” the IPC’s director of communications Craig Spence told Reuters in an emailed response.

It was Golbarnezhad’s second race in Rio. He finished 14th in the C4 time trial on Wednesday.