Italian orienteer, Mattia Debertolis, has died after collapsing during the World Games in Chengdu, China, last week.
The 29-year-old athlete was discovered unconscious by event organisers last Friday while competing in the men’s middle-distance final. Temperatures at the time were above 30°C.
He was rushed to one of China’s top medical facilities and received immediate specialist treatment but died on Tuesday, four days after his collapse.
“Despite receiving immediate expert medical care at one of China’s leading medical institutions, he passed away,” World Games organisers said in a statement.
International Orienteering Federation President, Tom Hollowell, described the tragedy as beyond words, saying he was “not able to adequately describe the unfathomable depth of sadness in this tragic loss of life.”
The cause of death has yet to be determined.
Debertolis, a member of Italy’s national team, was one of 12 athletes marked “Did Not Finish” in the official results.
He previously secured fifth place at the 2022 World Cup final.
Outside the sport, Debertolis was a qualified civil engineer living in Sweden, where he was pursuing a PhD at a Stockholm university.
The World Games, held every four years, feature sports not included in the Olympics.
Orienteering, one of its disciplines, challenges participants to navigate between unmarked checkpoints using only a map, combining endurance, strategy, and problem-solving skills.
World Games organisers said they would “continue to support the family of Debertolis and the orienteering community in every possible way.”
