Italian Athlete Discovered Deceased During ‘World Games’ Event in China

Mattia Devertaris, Italian Orienteering Athlete, Passes Away

Italian orienteering athlete Mattia Devertaris has sadly passed away at the age of 29. He was found unconscious during an orienteering event on August 8, and died four days later, as announced by the World Games organizers and the International Orienteering Federation (IOF).

The World Games, which occur every four years and feature sports not included in the Olympics, were taking place in challenging heat and humidity, with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees.

The statement from the organizers indicated that he received immediate medical attention at a prominent healthcare facility in China, but it did not specify the cause of death.

Orienteering is a sport where athletes navigate through unmarked courses using maps and compasses, aiming to complete the course as quickly as possible by punching checkpoints along the way. Devertaris was competing in the Men’s Middle Distance final of the event, which comprised a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) route with 20 control points and a vertical rise of 180 meters.

Video clips circulated on social media showed athletes traversing rural landscapes, including crops and villages. The Swiss athlete Ricardan clinched victory, completing the course in 45 minutes and 22 seconds. A Chinese competitor remarked on the need to adjust quickly to the oppressive conditions, stating, “I think I managed very well.”

In the official results, Devertaris, along with 11 other competitors, was marked as “not finished.” He held the 137th ranking in men’s orienteering globally and had been active in the sport since 2014, representing Italy in numerous championships.

Aside from his athletic pursuits, Devertaris earned a PhD from the Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, in Stockholm, where he resided.

Alfio Jomi, the chairman of the Italian Orienteering Federation (FISO), has encouraged national teams to wear black arm bands during the World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championship in Poland, which is set to start on Tuesday. Devertaris’s family expressed their consent for athletes to compete in his honor, as mentioned by Jomi in an online statement.

Both the World Games organizers and the IOF conveyed their heartfelt condolences to Devertaris’s family, friends, and the orienteering community. They emphasized the profound impact of this tragic event.