Iran’s ‘best’ cyclist dies after Paralympics accident

Bahman Golbarnezhad, an Iranian cyclist, has died after being involved in a crash in the men’s C4/C5 road race at Rio paralympics.

Masoud Ashrafi, secretary general of Iran’s National Paralympic Committee, described Golbarnezhad as the country’s “best cyclist”.

The deceased, who was Iran’s sole cyclist at the games,was first treated at the scene of the accident before taken to a local hospital, where he died.

The Iranian flag has been lowered to half-mast in the Paralympic Village and a period of silence will be observed during Sunday’s closing ceremony.

The BBC quoted Ashrafi as saying the body of Golbarnezhad would be flown to Iran on Sunday.

Ashrafi’s committee has reportedly requested a full report of the incident.

“He had been cycling for 12 years and he was our best cyclist. He was married and has a wife and one son,” Ashrafi said.

“He was the kind of man who was a family man. He loved his family.”

Golbarnezhad’s death is the first in competition at a summer Olympics or Paralympics since Danish cyclist Knud Enemark Jensen in the 100km team time trial at the 1960 Rome Olympics.