A player from South African franchise the Lions has died on the eve of their Champions Cup clash against La Rochelle on Saturday.
According to multiple reports, the player, who was in his 30s but has not been named, was found unresponsive in a shower at the team’s hotel on the Ile de Re on Friday morning. Emergency services were called to the hotel shortly after 10:20am.
Cardiac arrest at the scene
The player was reportedly in cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived and, despite efforts to resuscitate him, they were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Management at the Hotel Atalante – Relais Thalasso, where the Lions were staying ahead of Saturday’s match against La Rochelle, confirmed that psychological support had been arranged for hotel staff and members of the team.
First European Cup match affected
The incident comes with the Lions, who play at the iconic Ellis Park in Johannesburg, due to play their first ever match in the European Cup against the winners of the competition in 2022 and 2023.
The fixture is almost certain to be postponed.
