Tragedy has struck Team Samoa at the Paris Olympics with the death of national boxing coach Lionel Elika Fatupaito on the opening day of the the Olympics, Friday, July 26. Fatupaito’s death is suspected to be from a heart attack.
Luafalealo Paige Talalelei, President of the Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympics Committee, confirmed the news. The International Olympic Committee said in a statement that the coach died of natural causes.
Fatupaito, renowned as one of Samoa’s greatest boxing coaches, was in Paris to coach boxer Tupuola Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali. His passing is a significant loss to the team and the broader sporting community. Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali hits the ring in the early hours of July 29th!
