Samoa boxing coach Lionel Elika Fatupaito dies at 2024 Olympics

Samoa’s Lionel Elika Fatupaito has died in Paris at the 2024 Olympics, the International Boxing Association announced on Saturday.

The boxing coach died while in the Olympic Village on Friday morning, according to multiple reports.

According to CBS News , he died of “natural causes.”

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Fatupaito, reportedly 60 years old , was set to coach the only Samoan boxer at the Olympics — Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali.

“We at the IBA extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Lionel Elika Fatupaito, the national boxing coach of Samoa, who tragically passed away during Paris 2024,” the IBA said in a statement .

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“Lionel’s dedication and passion for the sport have left an indelible mark on the boxing community. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations. Our thoughts and prayers are with Team Samoa and all those affected by this profound loss.”

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Plodzicki-Faoagali, the two-time Pacific Games heavyweight champion, is set to face Belgium’s Victor Schelstraete on Sunday.

“No words can express how I feel but rest in love Coach Lionel,” the boxer wrote in a heartfelt Instagram story.

The boxing competition is scheduled from July 27-Aug. 10.

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