New York, Aug 30 (ANI): The coach of Russia's Olympic women's volleyball team, Sergey Ovchinnikov, died suddenly in Croatia, raising fears of an apparent suicide.
Russian state media, citing local reports, said Ovchinnikov, 43, hanged himself in his hotel room while at a training camp with his club, Dynamo Moscow.
Some of the team's employees found his body after he didn't show up for breakfast, state-sponsored Russia Today reported.
The Russian Volleyball Federation and Dynamo confirmed the death, but didn't say how he died.
Ovchinnikov was appointed Team Russia's coach last December, and his squad was considered the heavy gold medal favorite at the London Olympics.
The team lost to eventual champion Brazil in the quarterfinals of London Olympics after squandering a six-point lead, the Daily News reports.
Russia Today quoted former national team coach Vladimir Kuzyutkin, as suggesting that Ovchinnikov was devastated by his team's defeat.
"This is so stupid. He was my friend, my colleague. No one said a bad word about him. Yes, there was a blunder at the Olympics, well, to hell with it. I don't know why he couldn't cope with it," Kuzyutkin said.
Doug Beal, the CEO of USA Volleyball, said he was "shocked and saddened" to hear about the young coach's death. (ANI)
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