Gymnast projected to make 2028 Los Angeles Olympics dies after training accident in Russia
LONDON -- Indonesian men's gymnast Naufal Takdir Al Bari died on Thursday after suffering a neck injury in training, according to the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation.
Al Bari, 19, was at a training camp in Penza, Russia, when he fell awkwardly into a foam pit while training the high bar, according to Russian staff speaking to state media. He subsequently spent 12 days in intensive care before succumbing to his injury.
The athlete was training to compete in this year's Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, which are being held in Indonesia, and was projected to qualify for the next Summer Olympic Games in 2028 in Los Angeles.
"[Al Bari] was a talented young athlete and a good person. Indonesian gymnastics has lost one of the nation's finest sons. This is a deep blow and sorrow for us," said Ita Yuliati, Chair of Indonesian Gymnastics. “May the family be given strength.”
The Russian Gymnastics Federation said that they conducted an investigation into the death of Indonesian athlete, according to Russian state media.
"We will certainly provide assistance, if necessary, in the shipment and repatriation of the body. We sent our condolences to the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation today, informed them of what happened, and we have done everything that needed to be done," Vice President of the Russian Gymnastics Federation Vasily Titov told TASS.
"We conducted the necessary investigation, and all the circumstances surrounding the injury have been established. Unfortunately, the athlete was not prepared to perform such a complex element," Titov said.
Gymnastics officials did not reveal which element Al Bari was attempting when the incident occurred.
