A former American sprinter, Lee Evans, is dead.
EKO HOT BLOG gathered that the 1968 Olympic 400m champion died at the age of 74.
Evans was said to have been on life support at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan-Remo after he suffered a stroke last week in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
A close friend of the deceased, Segun Odegbami, confirmed the death of the retired athlete and coach on WhatsApp platform, Family United By Sports, on Wednesday night.
The retired footballer and 1980 AFCON winner wrote, “For my brother and friend, Lee Edward Evans – it is sunset!”
Evans was said to have died while in a coma and breathing through a ventilator.
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It was further learnt that his children had started a GoFundMe campaign to raise $500,000 and were working with the US embassy in Lagos to secure clearance to transport the Olympian to the United States for further medical care.
It was gathered that COVID-19 restrictions hindered fast-tracking the process.
Evans daughter, Menjanahary, also stated that her father’s passport and other forms of documentation had been stolen.
According to Punch, the fallen sportsman, who coached the Nigerian athletics team for several years, had been working as a volunteer coach at the Segun Odegbami International College and Sports Academy, in Wasimi Orile, Ogun State, before his demise.
Last week, Odegbami pleaded with the US government to help provide immediate medical aid for the coach following his worsening condition.
Evans was 21 when he won the 400m at the Mexico City Games in 43.86secs in 1968, the first athlete to break the 44secs barrier in the event.
He also anchored the US 4x400m to gold in a world record. Both records stood for two decades.
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