Patrick Baumann, top FIBA official, dead at 51

Patrick Baumann, a top official at international basketball's governing body FIBA, died on Sunday.

Baumann's passing was announced on the website of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

Baumann, 51, died after a heart attack in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires during the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

Swiss-born Baumann, also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has been FIBA’s secretary general since 2002 and is survived by his wife and two children.

"On behalf of the entire FIBA family, I wish to express our deepest sympathies and pass on our condolences to Patrick's wife Patricia, their family and loved ones,” said FIBA President Horacio Muratore.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this very difficult time."

"This is a great shock which has hit us all very hard," said Thomas Bach, the IOC’s president.

“We can hardly believe this terrible news. Particularly since, even today, we have seen him working hard, as we always knew him, for the sport he loved. We lose a young and sympathetic leader full of hope who was standing for the future of sport.”

Former NBA player Hidayet Turkoglu, now chair of the Turkish Basketball Federation, also mourned the loss.

"We’re deeply saddened by the loss of Mr. Baumann, who passed away at such an early age,” said Turkoglu.

“He was a very important sportsman who dedicated his life to the development and spread of all Olympic sports, especially basketball. As a former player himself, he knew exactly what basketball needed.

"Thanks to this knowledge and his education on law and sports administration management, he has helped basketball to develop globally since 1994, his debut at FIBA."