Weightlifter Oleksandrs Pilieshenko died defending his country.
The 30-year-old athlete participated in 2016. at the Olympic Games, where he took fourth place in the weight category up to 85 kg.
The news about the Olympian’s death was confirmed by the Ukrainian National Olympic Committee on Monday.
“In the first days of the invasion, Oleksandr joined the armed forces. We received the sad news of his death yesterday,” the statement said.
O. Pielieshenko was a two-time European champion, but has not participated in competitions since 2018, when he was disqualified after a positive doping test.
According to Ukrainian Olympian Vladyslav Heraskevyčius, about 450 people related to professional sports have already died in the war.
According to The Guardian, the death of O.Pielishenko will raise even more questions about the participation of Russian athletes in this year’s Olympic Games, where they could compete with the status of “neutral” athletes.
