Paralympic Games in Rio, Mourning the Death of Iranian Cyclist

The only cyclist sent by Iran to the 2016 Paralympic Games passed away due to severe injuries sustained during the road race. Bahman Golbarnezhad, born in Abadan, lost his left leg at the age of 19 after stepping on a mine one day before the acceptance of Resolution 598, marking the end of the eight-year war between Iran and Iraq. Before the London 2012 Paralympics, his wife succumbed to cancer, passing away before the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. He himself died one day before the end of the 2016 Rio Paralympic competitions due to an accident on the racecourse that resulted in severe neck injuries. The 48-year-old Golbarnezhad, in his last interview recorded in Rio de Janeiro, mentioned that his final race would take place on Saturday, a race that had no finish line and marked the final moments of his eventful life. Several international sports officials, including Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee, and Brian Coxon, President of the global federation for this sport, expressed their condolences and sympathies to the Iranian Paralympic team. Craven described Golbarnezhad's death as tragic, stating, 'Our hearts are broken by this news, and we sympathize with the family, friends, and the Iranian Paralympic Committee. The Paralympic family stands together in this sad event, which cast a shadow over this great Paralympics in Rio.' The Secretary of the Iranian Paralympic Committee provided details about the incident, stating that at the beginning of the race, a fierce competition developed on a steep slope, during which Golbarnezhad fell. According to Mr. Ashrafi, one minute later, Golbarnezhad's coach was at his side, and when the ambulance arrived, they intended to transfer him to the hospital, but he suffered a cardiac arrest on the way. They had to transfer him to a nearby clinic for resuscitation, but the 45-minute resuscitation attempt was unsuccessful. The International Paralympic Committee announced that following Bahman Golbarnezhad's death, the Paralympic flag would be flown at half-mast in the athletes' village and at the venue of the sitting volleyball final between Iran and Bosnia. A minute of silence will also be observed at the closing ceremony of the Rio Paralympics. Golbarnezhad participated as the sole representative of Iranian cycling in most competitions, from the World Disabled Championships in Spain and Italy to the London Paralympics, Rio Paralympics, and the Asian Championships in Malaysia. In January 2012, he won the championship title in the road endurance event over a distance of 49 kilometers at the Asian Championships hosted by Malaysia. He also secured third place at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Para Games. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reacted to Golbarnezhad's death by tweeting, 'The tragic incident of the passing of our dear cyclist Bahman Golbarnezhad during the Rio Paralympic Games has plunged everyone into sorrow. May his soul rest in peace.'