Oleksandr Pielieshenko, two-time European weightlifting champion and former Olympian from Ukraine, has died in the ongoing war against Russia. The news was confirmed by the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine in a social media post on Facebook on Monday (May 6). Pielieshenko had represented Ukraine in the 2016 Rio Olympics in 85kg light-heavyweight category and finished fourth.

“Eternal memory of the Angel of sports — Oleksandr Peleshenko. On May 5, an honored master of sports of Ukraine died in the war with the enemy; participant of the 2016 Olympic Games, where he took 4th place; two-time European weightlifting champion.” read the post.

“From the first days of the full-scale invasion, Oleksandr joined the ranks of the Armed Forces. Yesterday we received the sad news of his death,” the committee’s Facebook post further said.

Pielieshenko hadn’t participated in any event since 2018 after he was suspended for eight years for failing a drug test.

The Ukrainian Weightlifting Association also shared a heartfelt condolence message on social media, which read: “It is with great sadness that we announce that today the heart of the honored master of sports of Ukraine, two-time European weightlifting champion Oleksandr Pielieshenko, stopped beating. We express our sincere condolences to the family and all who knew Oleksandr!”

Ukraine’s weightlifting coach Viktor Slobodianiuk also wrote: “I express my sincere condolences to the family and relatives of Oleksandr! This is a very heavy loss for the entire weightlifting community of Ukraine. heroes do not die.”

Pielieshenko is the first Olympian to have died in war against Russia which is in its third year. Russia had invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

The incident might cast a shadow on participation of Russian athletes in the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024. The Russian athletes were already asked to participate under the neutral flag the event.