Stefan Henze was travelling with a team-mate in a taxi to the athletes village in Rio early on Friday when the car crashed into a barrier.
ADVERTISEMENTThe coach of Germany’s canoe slalom team has died after a car crash in Brazil.
Stefan Henze won silver in the Olympics in 2004.
What happened?
Stefan Henze was travelling with a team-mate in a taxi to the athletes village in Rio early on Friday when the vehicle crashed into a barrier.
He was taken to hospital with head injuries.
The 35-year-old had emergency surgery and had been in intensive care over the weekend.
His death was announced by officials on Tuesday morning.
Was anyone else injured?
Yes.
Teammate Christian Kaeding was also in the crash but has only minor injuries. He was treated in hospital and has been released.
Do they know what caused the crash?
Not yet.
It is not yet clear how the accident occurred.
The German team says it will hold a ceremony on Tuesday at the Place of Mourning inside the Olympic Village where the athletes are staying.
Rest in Peace, Stefan Henze.
German canoe slalom team coach has passed away in Rio at 35: https://t.co/KXo4A7WyN5pic.twitter.com/KlzDxvI24C
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) August 15, 2016
What they are saying
“We are endlessly sad on this day. Words cannot come close to describing how we in the Olympic team feel after this dreadful incident,” – German Olympic Sports Confederation President Alfons Hoermann
“Today, sport, for which the entire team has come to Rio, moves into the background. Our thoughts are with his family who had the chance here to bid farewell,” – German team chief Michael Vesper.
“The IOC is mourning the loss of a true Olympian. Our sympathy is with the family of Stefan Henze, his friends and all of the German Olympic Team.We will honour his memory tomorrow by lowering all the German flags at the Olympic venues to half-mast,” – IOC President Thomas Bach.