Former Belarusian professional hockey player Konstantin Koltsov died at the age of 42, as reported by the Russian club Salavat Yulaev in a statement. The death of the athlete, boyfriend of tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, came suddenly, leaving his followers shocked.
"We are in mourning," wrote the Belarusian Hockey Federation, which expresses "its sincere condolences to the family, friends and all those who knew and worked with Konstantin."
Hours after his death, the causes of his death have already been discovered. According to the Belarusian media Smartpress.by, Koltsov died due to a thrombus that traveled to a vital organ, causing the collapse and subsequent death of the former player.
Forward Koltsov played for the Belarus national team in the 2002 and 2010 Olympic Games and spent parts of three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 2002 and 2006. Koltsov was currently the coach of the aforementioned Russian club Salavat Yulaev , which is based in the Russian city of Ufa.
"He was a strong and cheerful person, he was loved and respected by the players, colleagues and fans. Konstantin Evgenievich was forever inscribed in the history of our club. May he rest in peace," they write from the club.
Renowned for his speed on the ice, Koltsov won the Russian Super League title with Salavat Yulaev in 2008. More recently, the former athlete returned to the club as an assistant coach.
His relationship with tennis player Aryna Sabalenka dates back to June 2021, according to People magazine. Her romance was well established and the tennis player frequently posted photos of the two of them together on her official Instagram profile.
"Happy birthday, my love. You are my dearest person, my best friend and my greatest support. Peace be with you, strength, patience and health. I hope we have everything we planned. I love you," he wrote in one of his latest publications, dedicated to his partner.
The last time Koltsov could be seen attending her partner's match was after the Belarusian won her second consecutive Australian Open title in January. Sabalenka lost in the round of 16 at Indian Wells last week. The tennis player has not commented on the death of her partner, but she plans to play her first match at the Miami Open on Friday.
This is the second tragedy that Sabalenka has recently experienced, who lost her father in November 2019, who died at the age of 43.
