Germany's canoe slalom coach dies after accident

Germany's Stefan Henze, silver-Olympic-medal-winner and who was currently the coach for the German canoe slalom team, died on Monday from injuries he sustained on Friday in an accident while returning to the Olympic Village.

In a press release, the German Olympic Committee announced Henze's death which came about after a traffic accident in the early hours of Friday morning while he was on his way back to the Olympic Village. He had been travelling from Deodoro, where there are several Olympic facilities, in a taxi along with a teammate when it crashed.

"We are profoundly saddened. Rest in peace Stefan. You will always be in our hearts," said the German committee in the publication.

Henze seriously injured his head in the accident.

"We can't find the words to describe how we feel in the delegation after this terrible loss," said the president of the German Olympic Committee, Alfonso Hormann, who added that a funeral will be held on Tuesday in the Olympic Village. Hormann has also asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to fly Germany's flag at half-mast as a sign of respect and morning.

Henze won a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens together with Marcus Becker in the canoe slalom.

Another member of the canoe slalom coaching team, Christian Kaeding, sustained minor injuries in the accident and has now been released from hospital.

Source : XINHUA