Italian athlete Mattia Debertolis dies after collapsing at World Games in China

Italian athlete Mattia Debertolis has died after collapsing during the World Games in China.

Mattia, 29, was found unconscious by the organizers during the middle-distance orienteering event on Friday, in Chengdu.

The sportsman received immediate medical care, however, four days later succumbed to his condition on Tuesday, August 12, 2025. The exact cause of the death is not known yet.

The World Games announced the news of the tragic death, stating: “Despite receiving immediate expert medical care at one of China’s leading medical institutions, he passed away.”

“We will continue to support the family of Debertolis and the orienteering community in every possible way,” the organizers added.

Tom Hollowell, the President of the International Orienteering Federation (IOF) expressed his sorrow over the loss, stating, “I am not able to adequately describe the unfathomable depth of sadness in this tragic loss of life.”

The deceased Italian athlete was a qualified civil engineer. He was pursuing his PhD from University of Stockholm.

For the unversed, Orienteering is an outdoor sport that combines physical activity with map-reading and problem-solving. In this sport, participants have to navigate between unmarked checkpoints using a map.

World Games is multisport event featuring disciplines not included in the Olympics and it happens every four years.