Tragic Loss at the Paris Olympics: Samoan Boxing Coach Passes Away

In a heartbreaking turn of events, the team manager of the top-seeded men’s heavyweight boxer at the Paris Olympics has died. Lionel Elika Fatupaito passed away on Friday morning at the athletes’ village in Saint-Denis, as confirmed by the Oceania regional group of Olympic national committees.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) stated that Fatupaito died of natural causes. They expressed their condolences to the entire Samoan National Olympic Committee, his family, and friends in a statement on Saturday.

Fatupaito was in Paris with a Samoan boxing team that features a promising medal contender, Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali. The 25-year-old boxer expressed his deep sorrow on social media, writing in an Instagram story, “No words can express how I feel but rest in love coach Lionel.”

Plodzicki-Faoagali is set to start his competition in the 92-kilogram weight class on Sunday, where he will go up against a Belgian opponent. This is his second time competing in the Summer Games.

The president of the Samoan Olympic body, Pauga Talalelei Pauga, honored Fatupaito’s legacy in the Oceania statement, saying, “Lionel was one of Samoa’s top boxing coaches and a great believer in the Olympic ideal.”

The organizing committee for the Paris Games also shared their condolences, stating they were “deeply saddened to learn of the death of a member of the Samoan delegation,” and offered their thoughts to Fatupaito’s loved ones and the delegation.