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The Tokyo Summer Olympics highlighted the extraordinary abilities, power, and stamina of athletes, leaving spectators amazed. However, it’s important to remember that athletes often face risks beyond failure—sometimes even their lives. Here are 10 instances where athletes paid the ultimate price.
10. An Entire Soccer Team Perished During a Match
In many sports, participants often pray or seek divine intervention for success. In the central African nation of Congo, some even resort to witchcraft. In late October 1998, the village of Bena Tshadi faced off against Basangana in a soccer match in Eastern Kasai province. The game was tied 1-1 when a lightning bolt struck the field, killing all 11 players from Bena Tshadi and injuring over 30 spectators. This remains the only recorded case of an entire team dying during a game.
Investigators concluded that the lightning strike was the result of witchcraft, likely invoked by supporters of the Basangana team, who escaped unharmed. The Congolese Press Agency noted that sorcery is often used to sway game outcomes. While respecting local beliefs, it’s worth noting that lightning strikes on open soccer fields are not uncommon. That same weekend, six players were injured by lightning during a match in South Africa.
9. The Tragic 90-MPH Death of Nodar Kumaritashvili
In the lead-up to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the International Olympic Committee faced backlash for introducing more thrilling yet perilous events like snowboarding and ski cross to boost viewership. They also employed advanced technology and track designs to increase speeds in traditional events such as the luge. Josef Fendt, head of the International Luge Foundation, expressed concerns about the Whistler Sliding Center track, where luge, skeleton, and bobsled events were scheduled. After witnessing record speeds and accidents involving experienced athletes during training, Fendt believed the track was excessively fast.
Adding to the concerns, many Olympians voiced frustrations over insufficient practice time, not only on the Whistler track but also on ski courses and the speed skating oval. In the week preceding the games, athletes training at Whistler experienced numerous crashes, including two-time gold medalist Armin Zoeggeler of Italy.
Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian luger aspiring to surpass Zoeggeler, had been competing since the age of 14. His father, a seasoned luger from the Soviet era, advised him to start his run lower on the track to reduce speed. Nodar, determined to win, rejected the idea, declaring, “I will either win or die.”
On February 10, just two days before the opening ceremonies, Nodar crashed during his second practice run at Whistler. Despite this, he persisted and began his fifth practice run on the morning of the ceremonies. As he approached curve 16, the final turn, he was nearing 90 mph. Known as Thunderbird, this sweeping right curve proved fatal.
As Nodar neared the banked edge of Thunderbird, his luge descended rapidly. He tried to slow himself using his left hand and feet but collided with a wall, flipping his luge and propelling him over the track’s edge. He struck two vertical supports, suffering severe head and torso injuries, and was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Olympic officials attributed the accident to Nodar’s lack of experience, denying any issues with the track’s design. They claimed that modifications, such as altering Thunderbird’s turn, moving the starting line, and adding padding to supports, were merely to ease athletes’ concerns.
8. Sweet Kiss of Death
One of the most astonishing horse races of the past century occurred on June 4, 1923, at Belmont Park in New York. Sweet Kiss, a longshot horse, and its jockey, Frank Hayes, emerged victorious. The win was unexpected, as Sweet Kiss had only earned $1,775 (equivalent to $28,000 today) in its career and was given 20-1 odds. Hayes, a stable worker with no prior racing experience, was an unlikely choice as jockey. To meet the weight requirement, he reportedly dropped from 142 to 130 pounds in a single day, depriving himself of food and water.
A photograph captures Sweet Kiss and Hayes during the race, but before crossing the finish line, Hayes suffered a fatal heart attack. As owner A.M. Frayling and officials approached the winners, Hayes fell from the saddle, already deceased. Hayes holds the grim distinction of being the only jockey to win a race posthumously. Sweet Kiss never raced again, as jockeys avoided the horse, which earned the nickname Sweet Kiss of Death.
7. A First No One Would Want
Boxing is undeniably one of the most perilous sports, with approximately 90% of boxers experiencing some form of brain damage during their careers. Tragically, around 10 fighters annually succumb to injuries sustained in the ring.
From 1884, when the Queensberry Rules were introduced, to 1995, an estimated 500 boxers lost their lives due to ring injuries. The year 1953 alone saw 22 fatalities. One of the most notable cases was Jimmy Doyle, who died from brain trauma after being struck by Sugar Ray Robinson during a 1947 welterweight title bout. More recently, in April, 18-year-old Rashed Al-Swaisat of Jordan passed away after a knockout punch at the world youth championships.
In 1993, USA Boxing lifted its ban on female competitors, paving the way for fighters like Laila Amaria Ali (daughter of Muhammed Ali), Mia St. John, and former figure skater Tonya Harding. Among the 2,200 women registered with USA Boxing in 2005 was Becky Zerlentes, a Ph.D. holder in geography, a black belt in Goshin Jitsu, and a brown belt in taekwondo. She was also an accomplished triathlete, synchronized swimmer, and kickboxer, while teaching economics and swimming at a community college. In 2002, she became the Colorado Golden Gloves champion.
On April 2, 2005, Zerlentes faced Heather Schmitz in a Golden Gloves championship match. Zerlentes had declared this her final fight, as USA Boxing prohibited competitors over 34—her age at the time. Both fighters cleared pre-fight medical exams and wore regulation headgear. In the second round, Schmitz struck Zerlentes in the face, causing a nosebleed. After the bleeding was controlled, the match resumed. In the third round, Schmitz landed a punch to Zerlentes’ left temple, knocking her to the ground. Zerlentes never regained consciousness and passed away the following afternoon.
The autopsy revealed that the impact to Zerlentes’ head caused her brain to bleed uncontrollably. The coroner found no pre-existing conditions like vascular malformations or aneurysms that could have contributed to the injury. No drugs were detected in her system. The fatal blow, which Zerlentes had endured many times before, ruptured a blood vessel. She became the first woman to die from injuries sustained during a sanctioned amateur boxing event.
6. Death by Celebration
Examining the risks of fatalities in sports yields few unexpected findings. For example, boxing sees approximately 46 deaths per 100,000 participants. BASE jumping records around 43 deaths, while skydiving has one fatality per 100,000 jumps. Auto racing claims about 1,000 lives per 100,000 drivers who compete behind the wheel, and motorcycle racing results in 100 deaths per 100,000 riders. Swimming, including open water and endurance events, has two fatalities per 100,000 participants, and scuba diving has three.
One surprising statistic is the number of deaths during or right after soccer matches. Research suggests that cardiac arrest alone may account for up to seven deaths per 100,000 players. This figure excludes fatalities caused by collisions with other players, the ground, or the ball, which can lead to head injuries, ruptured organs, or infections from broken bones. It also doesn’t account for unusual deaths, such as those caused by lightning strikes (see #10), fan violence, or police shootings (more on that later).
The tragic death of Peter Biaksangzuala in October 2014 falls into the latter category. Peter, a 23-year-old midfielder for Bethlehem Vengthlang FC in India, scored an equalizing goal in the 62nd minute of a match against Chanmari West. During his celebration, he attempted a somersault but misjudged the landing, severely injuring his neck. He collapsed on the field and was rushed to the hospital, where a CT scan revealed extensive spinal cord damage. He passed away five days later.
5. Death by Snow Groomer
In 1992, the winter and summer Olympics were held in the same year for the last time. The Albertville Winter Olympics in France were the first following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Six former Soviet-bloc nations formed a Unified Team, while Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and a reunified Germany participated as independent nations for the first time since 1936.
On the penultimate day of the Olympics, 27-year-old Swiss speed skier Nicolas Bochatay was preparing for the finals on a public slope in La Lechere, France. Using slalom skis instead of his usual speed skis, Bochatay and teammate Pierre Yves-Jorand raced down the slope at high speed. As Bochatay approached a hill, people below began shouting and waving to warn him. Too late, he flew over the hill and collided with a snow groomer—a vehicle used to prepare ski slopes. The impact caused fatal internal injuries, killing him instantly. The Swiss team argued that the groomer was stationary and hidden, with no warning signals activated, though other witnesses contested this claim.
4. Bloody Sunday (1920)
On November 21, 1920, Dublin residents were awakened by gunfire as the Irish War of Independence intensified. The Irish Republican Army (IRA) launched coordinated attacks on British intelligence agents, killing 15 and injuring five. Later that day, police searching for the assailants arrived at Croke Park, where a soccer match between Tipperary and Dublin was underway. Suspecting IRA members had blended into the crowd, the police blocked the exits and began searching the estimated 5,000 spectators.
The exact origin of the first shot remains disputed, but the police opened fire indiscriminately into the crowd. Among the victims was 11-year-old William Robinson, who had climbed a tree for a better view of the game. He was shot in the chest and later died in the hospital. Two other boys—Jerome O’Leary, 10, and John William Scott, 14—were also killed, along with Jane Boyle, a shopkeeper set to marry in five days. A military inquiry later deemed the police’s actions excessive and unauthorized.
At least three IRA members were killed at Croke Park, including Michael Hogan, captain of the Tipperary soccer team and leader of the Grangemockler IRA unit. Hogan was shot in the back near the corner of the pitch, now called Hill 16. Tom Ryan, an IRA volunteer and gas fitter, had participated in a failed assassination attempt earlier that day. He attended the Tipperary vs. Dublin match and was reportedly whispering the last rites to Hogan when he was shot in the stomach, later succumbing to his injuries.
3. Death by Fans
Sports fans occasionally lose control, hurling objects at athletes. In basketball, the 2004 “Malice in the Palace” saw a fan throw a beer at Ron Artest. In baseball, Chicago Cubs fans famously tossed lemons at Babe Ruth during the 1932 World Series, allegedly prompting him to “call his shot” before hitting a home run. Golf witnessed a fan throwing a hot dog at Tiger Woods in 2011. However, these incidents escalate when projectiles turn deadly.
On August 23, 2014, 24-year-old Albert Ebosse Bodjongo, playing for Algerian club JS Kabylie, scored his team’s only goal in a 2-1 loss to USM Alger. As the players left the field, fans hurled objects, including roof tiles from a nearby construction site. Albert later died from a skull fracture caused by a severe blow to the head. Initially, it was believed he was struck by an object thrown by fans, but the reality was far darker.
Dissatisfied with the official explanation, Albert’s family hired a pathologist for a second autopsy. The findings revealed his head injury was inflicted at close range, not from the stands. Additionally, Albert had a stab wound near his collarbone and other injuries suggesting an assault. The possibility arose that fans had attacked and killed Albert in the locker room. His murderer remains unidentified.
If this seems unbelievable, soccer fans have a long history of violence. During a May 24, 1964, match between Peru and Argentina, fans erupted in anger when a referee disallowed a tying goal in the final minutes. One spectator attacked the referee, sparking a riot. Police responded with tear gas, causing panic and a stampede toward locked steel gates. The tragedy resulted in as many as 328 deaths. Similarly, 127 fans died in a 2001 riot during a game in Ghana.
In 2012, 73 people lost their lives in a soccer brawl in Port Said, Egypt. Another tragic case involves Andres Escobar, who accidentally scored an own goal during Colombia’s 1994 World Cup loss to the U.S. Just over a week later, Escobar was shot multiple times at a restaurant in his hometown, with the assailant reportedly yelling “Goal” with each shot.
2. The Final Ride of Lane Frost
Bull riding is an exceptionally hazardous sport, with 20 catastrophic injuries per 100,000 riders. Between 1989 and 2016, at least 21 professional bull riders died, along with numerous amateurs. For example, in 2016, a 15-year-old amateur was trampled to death by a bull after being thrown at a New Mexico rodeo. A similar incident occurred in 2019 at the Denver Western Stock Show, where a professional rider was thrown, and the bull’s 2,000-pound weight crushed his chest, killing him.
Lane Frost grew up in a rodeo family, with his father being a bronco buster and calf roper. Despite his parents’ efforts to steer him away from bull riding, Lane was captivated by the sport. His mother, Elsie, recalled that his first word was “bull,” and he would often ride a toy horse on rollers around the house, pretending to be a bull rider.
By the age of five, Lane Frost often pretended the arm of a couch was a bucking bull. He progressed to riding calves on his family’s Utah dairy farm, and after moving to Oklahoma, he trained under the legendary bull rider Freckles Brown. At 19, Lane joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, quickly becoming a crowd favorite. He was crowned world champion at 23 and participated in a rodeo exhibition at the 1988 Calgary Olympics.
The Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming, the world’s largest and oldest rodeo, saw Lane Frost compete on its final day, July 30, 1989. Lane rode a bull named Takin’ Care of Business (TCB), known for being tough but not overly aggressive. Lane completed a flawless 8-second ride, dismounting safely to the left as TCB turned right. However, TCB unexpectedly turned and struck Lane in the back with his horn. Fellow rider Cody Lambert noted that such incidents were common, often resulting in minor injuries. Tragically, TCB’s horn broke Lane’s ribs and punctured a major artery. Lane stood, took a few steps, then collapsed and died within minutes. He was posthumously inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame the following year and later immortalized in the film 8 Seconds.
1. “The Honor of My Race, Family, and Self Are at Stake”
The October 6, 1923, football game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the University of Minnesota Gophers held immense significance for 21-year-old Jack Trice. As the only African-American player on the field, this was his first varsity game for the Cyclones. While most African Americans attended Southern black colleges, Iowa had been admitting them for 32 years. Jack, a sophomore, made history by joining both the football and track varsity teams.
The night before the game, Jack penned his thoughts on hotel stationery, expressing the weight of his responsibility: “My thoughts just before the first real college game of my life. The honor of my race, family, and self is at stake.” As a defensive lineman, he vowed to “break through the opponents’ line and stop the play in their territory.” He also reminded himself to “watch for crossbucks and reverse end runs” and to “roll block” any runners.
American football in the early 1900s was notoriously harsh. Players wore leather helmets without padding or facemasks, and their uniforms offered minimal protection, mainly around the shoulders. Techniques like the roll block, now banned, were completely legal in 1923.
During the first half, Jack Trice suffered a broken collarbone but insisted on continuing to play. By halftime, the score was tied 7-7, but Minnesota took a 14-7 lead in the third quarter. As the Gophers’ fullback charged forward, Jack hurled himself into the blockers, executing a roll block. However, he rolled onto his back instead of his stomach. A teammate recalled, “The fullback stepped on Jack’s stomach and possibly his groin. Despite severe pain, Jack tried to stand and stay in the game but had to be helped off the field.” He was hospitalized but cleared to return to Iowa with his team, who lost 20-17. Jack died two days later from internal injuries.
Debate continues over whether Jack was intentionally or accidentally stepped on. The truth may never be known. Iowa refused to play Minnesota for the next 66 years. In the 1980s, a statue of Jack was erected outside Jack Trice Stadium, the only major college stadium named after an African American.
