Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock(RIO DE JANEIRO) — An Iranian cyclist has died at the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro after a crash on Saturday.
Bahman Golbarnezhad, 48, received emergency treatment on the course for the C4-5 road race, according to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and was transported to a nearby hospital.
The IPC said in a statement the crash happened in the morning on a “mountainous stretch of the course.”
Golbarnez, who also competed in the London Paralympics in 2012, suffered cardiac arrest, according to the statement.
Officials are investigating the incident.
“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 (NPC) of Iran,” Sir Philip Carven, IPC President, said in the statement.
The Iranian flag was lowered to half-mast in the Paralympic Village and a moment of silence will be held during Sunday’s closing ceremony.
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