Athlete Mattia Debertolis, aged 29, passes away following a collapse during the World Games held in China
Mattia Debertolis, a 29-year-old Italian orienteering athlete, tragically passed away on August 12, 2025, four days after collapsing during the men's middle-distance competition at the World Games in Chengdu, China.
Debertolis, a civil engineer with studies in progress for a PhD at the university in Stockholm, was a member of the orienteering club IFK Lidingö in the Swedish capital. He had previously competed in several world championships and world cup events.
Orienteering, an outdoor navigation sport that requires participants to use a map and compass to navigate unfamiliar terrain at speed, saw Debertolis compete at the highest level. The competition in Chengdu took place in intense heat and humidity, with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, on a challenging six-kilometer course with 180 meters of ascent.
The International World Games Association, the Local Organising Committee, and the International Orienteering Federation (IOF) issued a joint statement expressing their condolences for Debertolis' family, friends, and the orienteering community. The IOF also issued a separate statement regarding the unfortunate incident. However, neither statement disclosed the specific cause of Debertolis' death.
Debertolis was taken to one of China's leading medical institutions after collapsing during the competition. Despite immediate expert medical care, he remained unconscious and passed away.
The orienteering community is left in mourning, with many paying tribute to Debertolis' achievements and spirit. His passing serves as a poignant reminder of the risks and challenges that athletes face in their pursuit of excellence.
[1] International World Games Association statement [2] Local Organising Committee statement [3] International Orienteering Federation statement [4] News report from a Swedish newspaper [5] News report from a Chinese newspaper
- In the aftermath of the intense heat and challenging course at the World Games in Chengdu, there were unconfirmed reports of a potential conflict between athletes from different countries over the exhausting conditions, with some claiming that the high temperature and humidity may have contributed to Debertolis' collapse and subsequent death.
- While watching the World Games' orienteering event, many sports enthusiasts couldn't help but draw parallels between Debertolis' tragic demise and the way hockey players push themselves to the brink, risking injury or even death in their pursuit of victory.
