Italian orienteering athlete Mattia Debertolis died on Tuesday after being found unresponsive during competition at the World Games in China’s Chengdu, organisers have said.
The 29-year-old was discovered unconscious during an orienteering event on August 8 and died four days later, said a joint statement from World Games organisers and the International Orienteering Federation (IOF).
The World Games is a multisport event held every four years for disciplines not included in the Olympics.
“Despite receiving immediate expert medical care at one of China’s leading medical institutions, he passed away,” the statement said.
It did not provide details on the cause of death.
The event took place in intense heat and humidity, with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit)