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By Isabel van Brugen
News Reporter
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Buvaisar Saitiev, a three-time Russian Olympic freestyle wrestling champion who later became a member of President Vladimir Putin's ruling United Russia party, was reportedly found dead after falling from a window.
Newsweek reached out to Russia's Foreign Ministry for comment by email.
The Context
Since Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, a series of mysterious deaths have claimed the lives of prominent Russian figures, including tycoons, businessmen and oil executives—many of whom reportedly fell from windows under suspicious circumstances.
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What To Know
Russian sports officials said Sunday that Saitiev, a former State Duma deputy of Chechen descent and assistant to the head of Dagestan, had died at the age of 49 in Moscow.
Speaking to state-run news agency Tass, the country's sports minister, Mikhail Degtyarev, described Saitiev's death as "premature and tragic," without elaborating.
Baza, a Telegram channel with links to Russia's security services, said Saitiev "may have fallen out of a window."
A janitor found Saitiev on Sunday in critical condition lying near a residential building on Minskaya Street in the Russian capital. The Telegram channel said the janitor placed Saitiev on wooden boards and alerted the concierge to call an ambulance.
"Notably, Saitiev had no visible injuries or signs of bleeding, initially making the circumstances of his condition unclear," said Baza.
According to Baza, during questioning, Saitiev's brother suggested that he may have accidentally fallen from the window of his third-floor apartment while doing housework.
He later died in hospital, according to the Telegram channel.
Newsweek couldn't independently verify the Baza's claims. The cause of his death remains unclear; however, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on his Telegram channel that the athlete had heart problems and had been undergoing treatment at a hospital in Moscow.
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Saitiev won gold medals at the Olympics in Atlanta (1996), Athens (2004), and Beijing (2008) before retiring from the sport in 2009. He was also a six-time world and European champion.
In 2016, he was elected as a deputy of the State Duma of the 7th convocation from United Russia, Putin's ruling party, representing the Republic of Dagestan.
In recent years, there has been a spate of incidents involving prominent officials falling from windows.
Ravil Maganov, the chair of Russian oil giant Lukoil, the country's second-largest oil producer, was found dead on September 1, 2022, after falling from a hospital window in Moscow. The circumstances surrounding the 67-year-old's death remain unexplained. He had worked at Lukoil since 1993.
A few months later, on December 25, 2022, Pavel Antov, a Russian politician who had criticized Putin's invasion of Ukraine, was found dead after a fall from a window in India.
Antov, who was a member of Putin's United Russia party and a wealthy sausage tycoon, was found lying in a pool of blood outside the Hotel Sai International in the district of Rayagada, which is in the state of Odisha.
What People Are Saying
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on his Telegram channel: "This is an irreparable loss for the entire country, for the world of sports, for everyone who knew this outstanding person.
"Buvaisar Saitiev was not just a champion, he was a symbol of courage, nobility and the true Caucasian spirit. His name is forever inscribed in the history of world wrestling in golden letters. He repeatedly raised the Russian flag at the largest international arenas, defending the honor of our people and state.
"After completing his sports career, Buvaisar Khamidovich devoted himself to serving the Motherland, was involved in educating young people, was a deputy of the State Duma, and president of the Wrestling Federation of the Chechen Republic. He always remained true to his principles, was a man of his word and deed.
"Recently, Buvaisar Khamidovich was undergoing treatment in a Moscow hospital, he had heart problems. Despite all the efforts of doctors, he is gone. But he will remain in our hearts as a man who dedicated his life to sports, raising the younger generation, serving his people.
"I express my deepest condolences to the family, loved ones and everyone who knew and respected Buvaisar Khamidovich. May the Almighty grant him the gardens of paradise, and his family - patience and strength to survive this heavy loss!"
What Happens Next
The head of the Republic of Dagestan's Novolaksky district, Mammati Gamzatov, told Tass that Saitiev's funeral will take place in the village of Novokuli.
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