Former France back-rower Ibrahim Diarra has died at the age of 36 following a heart attack, sources close to the player told AFP on Wednesday.
Diarra, who made his only Test appearance against Italy in 2008, had been in a Paris hospital in a critical condition since Friday after having suffered a cardiac arrest.
Horrendous news coming out of France. L’Equipe report former Castres Olympique player Ibrahim Diarra has died following his admittance to hospital at the weekend with a suspected stroke. So sad. Thoughts with his family, friends & team mates. 😔 pic.twitter.com/jbN4KB61Kv
— Tom May (@TomMay1) December 18, 2019
Those near to the former Top 14 champion said he then suffered numerous strokes which had caused irreversible brain damage.
Diarra started his professional career with Montauban before spending seven seasons with Castres, where he won the French title in 2013 and retired five years later.
Former coach Laurent Travers told French outlet AFP: “He brought laughter and a ray of sunshine. He gave everything on the field.”