A forensic examination found that 16-year-old boxer Vassilis Topalos died of a very severe brain trauma, something that he said is usually seen in violent car crashes.
The medical examiner, Sokratis Tsantiris, who undertook to examine the body of the athlete, in speaking to Proto Thema, stated that what he found was a very severe brain injury that led to brain necrosis.
As told to the Greek outlet, the father of the deceased athlete, Dimitris Topalos and the owner of the gym in Tavros, Nikos Yidakos, the young athlete fainted and collapsed in the bathroom of the gym where he was training.
However, according to forensic sources, the injuries to the brain were so severe that they are similar injuries to found in traffic accidents after violent collisions.
The testimony of the experienced and older boxer that Vassilis Topalos allegedly faced, combined with the conclusion of the forensic investigation, will shed light on the cause of the fatal injury of the 16-year-old, the authorities estimate.
According to Proto Thema, as part of the preliminary investigation , all those who attended that fateful morning at Nikos Gidakou's gym in Tavros will be asked to testify.
Among them, the experienced and older boxer who allegedly faced the sixteen-year-old in a sparring match. Although the child's father insists that it was an accident, the testimony of his grandmother possibly gives another dimension to the case.
In her statements to the Alpha news bulletin, she said that her grandson competed in a different division than was suitable for his age and weight. She believes it is possible that he was aggravated by blows that he may have received in the head from another boxer.
"He apparently fainted and fell and hit his head hard. Our baby was in intensive care. There he fell into a coma for 17 days and died. We found out that there was a sparring match, they put him with a 20-year-old, about 70 kg, and ours was 60 kg and 16 years old. This is what we know," the grandmother said.
Intervention by the Supreme Court
It is recalled that in the case of the death of the 16-year-old boxer there was an intervention by the Supreme Court.
More specifically, the deputy prosecutor of the Supreme Court, responsible for sports matters, requested the completion of the investigation into the causes of the 16-year-old's death as an absolute priority and the search for possible criminal responsibilities in all directions from the competent sports prosecutor.
It is worth noting that the public prosecutor had intervened immediately after the injury of the young champion by ordering a preliminary examination, which is expected to be completed soon.
The funeral of the unfortunate 16-year-old European boxing champion will take place tomorrow at the Holy Church of the Holy Trinity and the burial of his body at the Schistos cemetery.
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