Italian athlete Mattia Debertolis has died at the age of 29 after collapsing while competing at the World Games in Chengdu, China.
Debertolis was found unconscious on Friday, August 8, 2025, during the Men's Middle Distance competition in Orienteering. He was immediately taken to a leading hospital in China but passed away on August 12, 2025.
The IOF said it was deeply saddened by Mattia's death and urged the entire orienteering community to honor his memory.
Debertolis was fond of cross-country skiing and football as a child, but chose orienteering because of his passion for navigation. He is also a civil engineer and is studying for a PhD in Stockholm, where he is a member of the orienteering club IFK Lidingö.
He is part of the Italian Orienteering Federation and has participated in many World Championships and World Cups. One of his career highlights was helping Italy to a fifth place finish in the Relay at the 2022 World Cup Final. At the upcoming mountain bike orienteering races in Poland, flags will be flown at half-mast in memory of Debertolis.
