Another tragedy has befallen the martial arts community, as 26-year-old amateur kickboxer Saeideh Aletaha has passed away due to a brain injury following a kickboxing match.
The BBC reports that Aletaha, an Iranian-born product design engineer, was “critically injured” at a Fast and Furious Fight Series event in Southampton, England last weekend. Aletaha collapsed in the ring and was rushed to the hospital after sustaining head injuries from her bout. She passed away the following morning.
Aletaha’s team, Exile Gym Southampton, released a post in remembrance of the young kickboxer:
“Following the show Saturday we regret to announce that one of our team mates unfortunately suffered an injury leaving her in a critical condition that she tragically will not recover from.
Saeideh Aletaha was a lovely character with a beautiful soul. Her dedication to the sport was 110% traveling miles every day just to train.
She found her place with us just a few months ago but has become apart of the family and will be sorely missed.
This news comes as a devastating blow to us all at the gym and the whole community. Our thoughts and preys go out to her family.
If there is any questions or if anyone feels they need support at this time please please do contact us.”
The tragic news is unfortunately not a standalone situation. Multiple reports of young martial artists receiving life-threatening or fatal injuries or conditions during or in preparation for competition have come out over the years. Just last month, a 26-year-old Titan FC champion suffered a stroke due to an extreme weight cut for a fight. While there are certainly risks in any combat sport, we hope to see advancements in athlete care that can help minimize such tragedies in the future.
