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Olympians Who Died in Motor Vehicle Accidents (Boat/Car/Motorcycle/Train) (575)

Athlete Nation(s) Sport(s) Role(s) Era Notes
Władysław Podgórski POL CCS Olympics 1976 Died after being hit by a car.
Anna Polatou GRE GRY Olympics 2000 Died when her car was in collision with a pick-up truck.
Josef Ponn GER CCS Olympics 1936 Died in a motorcycle accident.
Fon, Marqués de Portago ESP BOB Olympics 1956 Died while racing in the Mille Miglia.
Viktor Potapov RUS
URS		 SAL Olympics 1972—1980 Struck and killed by a car whilst standing on the sidewalk.
Philippe Pradayrol FRA JUD Olympics 1992 Died in a traffic accident.
Ned Pratt CAN ROW Olympics 1932 Died in a traffic accident.
Steve Prefontaine USA ATH Olympics 1972 Died in a car accident.
Karel Přibyl CZE
TCH		 ATH Olympics 1920—1924 Died of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.
Dušan Prieložný TCH VVO Referee 1968—1976 Died in a car accident.
Aleksey Prokurorov RUS
URS
EUN		 CCS Olympics / Opening Flagbearer 1988—2002 Died when his car was hit by a drunk driver.
Pavel Pulda CZE
TCH		 SHO Olympics 1976—1980 Died in a traffic accident on November 30, 1999.
Antonio Rački CRO CCS Olympics 1994—1998 Died in a car accident.
Josaia Raisuqe FIJ RU7 Olympics 2024 Died after his vehicle was hit by a train at a level crossing.
Mamie Rallins USA ATH Olympics 1968—1972 Died in a multi-vehicle accident on State Route 53 in Sandusky County.
Alberto Ramos MEX POL Olympics 1936 Died in a road accident.
Davide Rebellin ITA CRD Olympics 1992—2008 Died after being struck by a truck when riding his bicycle.
Reda UAR FBL Olympics 1960 Died in a car accident.
Carl Reiser GER ART Olympics 1936 Died of a brain hemorrhage after a motorcycle accident.
Josef Reisinger AUT SSK Olympics 1964 Died as passenger in a traffic accident.
Marcel Renault FRA AUT Non-Medal 1900 Died of injuries sustained in the 1903 Paris–Madrid race.
Ron Rhodes GBR CSP Olympics 1960 Died in a motorcycle accident.
Akihiro Rinzaki JPN SHO Olympics 1964 Died in a traffic accident
Albert Robbe BEL BOX Olympics 1936 Died in a hospital of injuries sustained after a collision with a tram near Bourgeois, Rixensart.
Irenice Maria Rodrigues BRA ATH Non-starter 1968 Died in a motorcycle accident (presumed/suspected)
Manuel Rodrigues POR ART Non-Medal 1952 Victim of a car accident.
Isobel Roe GBR ALP Olympics 1948 Died in road accident.
Gilberto Román MEX BOX Olympics 1980 Died in a car accident.
Vladimiro Romero ANG BKB Coach 1996 Died due to complications following a traffic accident
Raymond Rosier BEL ATH Olympics 1948 Died in hospital of injuries sustained in a car accident at Rue du Cardinal Mercier & Boulevard de l'Impératrice.
Arulraj Rosli MAS CRD/CTR Olympics 1964 Struck and killed by a car whilst riding a motorcycle.
Otto Rothe GER
FRG		 EVE Olympics 1952—1956 Died in a traffic accident.
Vladimer Rubashvili GEO
URS		 WRE Olympics 1960 Died in a car accident.
Eddie Rudolph, Jr. USA SSK Olympics 1960—1964 Died in a car accident.
Christophe Ruer FRA MPN Olympics 1988—1996 Died in a motorcycle accident.
Kathleen Russell JAM ATH Olympics 1948—1952 Died in a traffic accident.
Gregory Ruth USA WRE Olympics 1964 Killed in a powerboat racing accident.
Yury Ryazanov RUS GAR Olympics 2008 Died in an automobile accident only five days after placing third at the 2009 World Gymnastics All-Around Championship.
Colin Ryrie AUS SAL Olympics 1956—1964 Drowned when the boat he was driving hit an unlit buoy near Clark Island in Sydney Harbour as he and his wife were returning from the Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club.
Amy Safe AUS ROW Olympics 1996 Killed by a runaway car while training with six of her Australian cycling teammates.
Aleksandr Safronov RUS
URS		 SSK Olympics 1976 Died in a traffic accident.
George Saling USA ATH Olympics 1932 Died in a car accident.
Rich Sanders USA WRE Olympics 1968—1972 Died in a car accident.
Jean Sarrazin FRA EVE Olympics 1968 Died in a car accident.
Bekzat Sattarkhanov KAZ BOX Olympics 2000 Died in a car accident.
Ali Sayed Darwish UAE CRD Olympics 1996 Died when his bicycle was struck by a car.
Heinz Schäfer FRG WRE Olympics 1976 Died in a motorcycle accident when he crashed into a tree.
Edsard Schlingemann NED SWM Olympics 1984 Died in a car accident.
Sandra Schmitt GER FRS Olympics 1998 Died in the Kaprun fire disaster of the glacier lift together with her parents and a training group of the German Skiing Association.
Art Scholes CAN ATH Olympics 1920 Struck by a car while walking home from his brother's funeral.
Hans Schönrath GER BOX Olympics 1928 Drowned when hospital ship "DS General von Steuben" was sunk.
Ernst Schultz DEN ATH Olympics 1900 Died in a boating accident in the Roskilde Fjord with fellow Olympian Thorald Petersen.
Alois Schwarz AUT CCS Olympics 1988—1992 Died in a car accident.
Todd Scully USA ATH Olympics 1976 Died in a truck accident, ran off the side of the road and overturned.
Christoph Seifriedsberger AUT ROW YOG 2014 Died after being struck by a car when riding his bicycle.
Frank Seipelt GER
FRG		 WLF Olympics 1984—1992 Died in a traffic accident.
Gabriele Sella ITA CTR Olympics 1984 Crashed his motorcycle into a wall.
Sergey Sharikov RUS FEN Olympics 1996—2004 Died in car accident.
Andrei Shcharbakou BLR FBL Non-starter 2012 Died in a car accident.
Jack Shea USA SSK Olympics / Athlete Oath Taker 1932 Died in a traffic accident.
Brian Shenton GBR ATH Olympics 1952—1956 Died in a car accident.
Dorothy Shepherd-Barron GBR TEN Olympics 1924 Died in a car accident.
Paddy Sheriff IRL BKB Olympics 1948 Died in a car accident along with his son Padraig at Gneevebawn Hill, near Tyrellspass, County Westmeath.
Rainhold Shikongo NAM FBL Referee 2010
Sergey Shupletsov RUS
EUN		 FRS Olympics 1992—1994 Died in a motorcycle accident.
Edouard Siebert SUI BOX Olympics 1924 Died of injuries after being struck by a vehicle.
Otto Silber EST FBL Olympics 1924 Died in a car accident near Saue, Harjumaa.
João da Silva BRA BOX Olympics 1964 Died in a motor vehicle accident.
René Silva NCA BOX Olympics 1972 Died in a car accident.
Cyril Simey GBR FEN Olympics 1928 Went missing from his yacht on the night between 18 and 19 September 1952 in the middle of English Channel.
Surjit Singh IND HOC Olympics 1976 Died in a car accident.
Zithulele Sinque RSA ATH Olympics 1992 Died in a motor vehicle accident in Balfour, where he worked after forming a development athletics club in the area.
Bjørn Skaare NOR IHO Olympics 1984 Died in a car accident.
Hilary Skarżyński POL IHO Olympics 1948—1956 Died in a car accident.
Vibeke Skofterud NOR CCS Olympics 2002—2010 Died in a jet-skiing accident.
Augustyn Skórski POL IHO Olympics 1964 Died in a car accident.
Tadeusz Ślusarski POL ATH Olympics 1972—1980 Died in a car accident.
Pete Smith GBR CRD Olympics 1968 Died in a collision with a vehicle while riding his bike.
Chris Anker Sørensen DEN CRD Olympics 2008—2016 Died after being hit by a car when cycling.
Ray Sorensen USA GAR Olympics 1948 Died in a motorcycle accident.
Pavel Soukeník CZE
TCH		 SHO Olympics 1988 Died in a car accident.
Romi Spada SUI ALP Olympics 1948
Brunello Spinelli ITA WPO Olympics 1960 Died in a car accident.
Bryan Sprott USA ATH Olympics 1920 Died when struck by a train.
Ali St. Louis TTO ATH Olympics 1984 Died in a car accident.
Zinaida Stahurskaya BLR
EUN		 CRD Olympics 1992—2004 Died after being struck by a car while training.
Calvin Stamp JAM WLF Olympics 1984—1988 Died in a car accident.
Burry Stander RSA MTB Olympics 2008—2012 Died after being hit by a taxibus while on training.
Konstantinos Stathelakos CYP ATH Olympics 2012 Died in a car accident.
Henri Steenacker BEL ROW Olympics 1952—1956 Died in a traffic accident while bicycling.
Hartwig Steenken FRG EJP Olympics 1968—1972 In 1977 a passenger crashed into Steenken's car when returning from an amateur football soccer match. He fell into a coma and died six months later.
Manfred Stengl AUT LUG Olympics 1964 Died in a crash at the Isle of Man TT.
John Stenner USA CRD Olympics 1992 Died in a car accident when the sun blocked the other driver’s view.
Charles Stern SUI SAL Olympics 1948—1952 Died in a car accident.
Nelson Suárez ECU Opening Flagbearer 1976 Died in a car accident.
Matic Šušteršič SLO ATH Olympics 2000 Died in a car accident.
Pete Sutton CAN ATH Olympics 1952 Died in a three-vehicle collision in Frederick County, near Baltimore, Maryland.
Lennart Svedberg SWE IHO Olympics 1968 Died in a car accident.
Igor Sysoyev RUS TRI Olympics 2004—2008 Died in a car accident.
Ian Syster RSA ATH Olympics 2004 He and his two-month-old son drowned following a car accident.
Sándor Szobolevszky HUN BOX Olympics 1928 He and his daughter died in a boating accident on the Danube.
Omero Taddeini ITA ART Olympics 1936—1948 Died in a car accident.
Nicolae Talpoș ROU BOX Olympics 1984 Died in a motor vehicle accident.
Tan Eng Yoon SGP ATH Olympics 1956 Died while walking across a street when he was hit by a car.
Russell Tapp GBR LUG Olympics 1976 Died in a yachting accident near Portugal.
Johnny Tate USA BOX Olympics 1976 Died from injuries sustained in a car accident.
Jon Tecedor ESP WLF Olympics 2000 Died when his motorcycle was struck by a car.
Roberto Terracini ITA ART Olympics 1936 Died in a car accident.
Ödön Tersztyánszky HUN FEN Olympics 1924—1928 Died in an automobile accident.
Sandra Tewkesbury CAN FSK Olympics 1960 Died of injuries sustained in a car accident.
Meamea Thomas KIR WLF Olympics / Opening Flagbearer 2004 Struck by a vehicle while saving the life of a cyclist.
Ernst Thommen SUI Administrator 1961 Died in a car accident.
Ray Thorne USA SWM Olympics 1904 Died in a car accident.
Ans Timmermans NED SWM Olympics 1936 Died in a road accident.
Mihai Timu ROU EVE Olympics 1952 Died in a motor vehicle accident alongside 1956 and 1960 Olympian Gheorghe Langa.
Andrey Tissin RUS CSP Olympics 1996 Died in a motor boat accident.
Salvatore Todisco ITA BOX Olympics 1984 Died in a car accident.
Pierre Tolar LUX GAR Olympics 1924 Died in Motor Vehicle Accident
Braian Toledo ARG ATH Olympics / YOG / Olympic Flagbearer / Opening Flagbearer 2010—2018 Died in a motorcycle accident.
Toma Tomov BUL WPO Olympics / Referee 1972—1980 Died as the result of a motorcycle accident with him spending more than a month in intensive care in a coma.
Péter Tóth HUN FEN Olympics / 1906 1906—1928 Died in a car accident.
John Townend GBR ROW Olympics 1924 Died after falling from the top of an omnibus and being hit by an oncoming car.
Kent Townley USA WRE Olympics 1956 Died in a car accident.
Claude Trahan CAN SJP Olympics 1968 Died in a car accident along with his 12 year-old son Francois.
Rita Trapanese ITA FSK Olympics 1968—1972 Died in a car accident.
Radamés Treviño MEX CRD/CTR Olympics 1968 Killed by a car that invaded the opposite lane.
Marcel Triboulet FRA FBL Non-starter 1912 Died in a car accident.
Tumo Turbo ETH ATH Olympics 1996 Died in a car accident which occurred in the Addis Ababa-Awassa road and killed another 18 people.
Howard Turbyfill USA WLF Olympics 1932 Died after missing a turn and crashing his pickup truck into a walnut grove.
Joe Túri GBR EJP Olympics 1988 Died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.
Ron Turner GBR WPO Olympics 1952—1956 Killed in cycling accident.
Pierre Turquet GBR FEN Olympics 1948 Died in a car accident.
Bojan Udovič SLO
YUG		 CRD Olympics 1980 Died of injuries sustained when hit by a car whilst cycling.
Rolands Upatnieks LAT
URS		 LUG Olympics 1976 Died in a car accident.
Alejandro Urgellés CUB BKB Olympics 1972—1980 Died in a car accident.
Jorma Valkama FIN ATH Olympics 1952—1960 Died in a car accident.
Ivo Van Damme BEL ATH Olympics 1976 Died following a car accident.
Johannes van Dijk NED Opening Flagbearer 1920 Died in a car accident.
Antonio Vargiu ITA HOC Olympics 1960 Hit by a motorbike on November 18, 2025, died from the consequences after two weeks of agony
Julian Vasey GBR ALP Olympics 1968 Died in a motorcycle accident.
Vladimír Vávra CZE
TCH		 WRE Olympics 1928 Died of injuries sustained in an automobile crash.
Krisztián Veréb HUN CSP Olympics 2000 Died in a motorcycle accident.
Francesco Verri ITA CTR 1906 1906 Died in a road accident.
Michel Viaud FRA ROW Olympics 1960—1964 Died in a ferry accident.
Cesáreo Victorino MEX FBL Olympics 1968 Died when the team bus of CF Pachuca crashed on the way to Acapulco near Cuernavaca.
Rafael Vidal VEN SWM Olympics 1980—1984 Died in a car accident when repeatedly struck by another car, possibly intentionally.
Juan Villareal PHI SAL Olympics 1976 Died in a motorcycle accident.
Ede Virág-Ébner HUN WRE Olympics 1936 Died in a car accident.
Alex Virot FRA ART Olympics 1928 In 1957 Virot was reporting on the Tour de France when a motorcycle on which he was a passenger left the road and crashed down a ravine near the town of Ax-les-Thermes. Virot was killed instantly.
Adrie Voorting NED CRD/CTR Olympics 1952 Died from injuries sustained in a car accident.
Wang Kenan CHN DIV Olympics 2004 Died in a car accident.
Hugh Wardell-Yerburgh GBR ROW Olympics 1964 Died in a car accident.
Harold Webster CAN ATH Olympics / Non-starter 1928—1936 Collided with a car while bicycling.
Eduard Weilheim AUT ATH Non-starter 1924 Died in a motorcycle accident.
Pernell Whitaker USA BOX Olympics 1984 Died after being struck by a car.
Whayne Wilson CRC FBL Olympics 2004 Died after a car accident.
Dirk Wolbers NED ART Referee 1928 Died in a traffic accident with his car
Robert Wolski POL ATH Olympics 2004 Died in hospital in January 2026 following injuries from a car accident on 26 December 2025.
Jonnie Woodall GBR BOB/LUG Olympics 1972—1980 Died when hit by a train whilst cycling.
Steve Wray BAH ATH Olympics 1984 Went missing on a fishing trip off Nassau. After a distress call, his boat was found overturned, with no sign of Wray or his fellow sailor.
Xu Chao CHN CTR Olympics 2016—2020 Died involved in a road accident while training with the team
Morishige Yamamoto JPN EVE Olympics 1932 Died in a car accident.
Ivan Yarygin RUS
URS		 WRE Olympics 1972—1976 Died in a car accident.
Osman Yüce TUR ALP Olympics 1948—1964 Died in a traffic accident.
Riccardo Zardinoni ITA ROW 1906 1906 Died in a car accident on the road between Conegliano and Treviso.
Tony Zasada CAN ROW Olympics 1984 Died when a car in which he was a passenger was involved in a collision with a car driven by a drunk driver.
Aleksandr Zhirov RUS
URS		 ALP Olympics 1980 Died in a car accident.
Tadeusz Zieliński POL ATH Olympics 1972 Died in a traffic accident
Bożena Zientarska POL ATH Olympics 1972 Died in a traffic accident
Dušan Zinaja CRO
YUG		 CCS Olympics / Opening Flagbearer 1924 Died in a car accident.
Roger Zirilli SUI SWM/WPO Olympics 1936 Died in a car accident.
Henri Zo FRA ART Olympics 1928—1932 Died in a car accident.
Zsolt Zsoldos HUN JUD Olympics 1992 Died in a traffic accident.
Ross Zucco USA SSK Olympics 1960 Died in a car accident.
Hans Zurbriggen SUI SJP Olympics 1948 Died in a car accident.