Remembering 2025 Sports Stars: A Year of Losses and Legacies

A year of profound loss touched the world of sport in 2025. INLIBER Sport honors the exceptional athletes and contributors we lost, reflecting on the legacies they leave behind.

Below is a concise, respectful snapshot across disciplines, highlighting notable figures and the roles they played in sports history.

AMERICAN SPORTS

• Tiger Bech: Princeton University Ivy League kick returner, 27, killed in a vehicle attack in New Orleans.
• Tony Blanco: Former Washington Nationals outfielder; one of the 231 people who died when a nightclub roof collapsed in the Dominican Republic.
• Ethan Dietz: Junior college basketball player who died after an on-court injury in Texas; played for Connors State College in Warner, Oklahoma.
• Octavio Dotel: Former MLB pitcher, World Series champion with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011; died when a nightclub roof collapsed in the Dominican Republic.
• Virginia Halas McCaskey: Daughter of legendary Chicago Bears owner George Halas and the Bears’ principal owner since 1983.
• Jim Irsay: Owner of the Indianapolis Colts.
• Arthur Jones: Former NFL lineman for the Ravens, Colts and Redskins; Super Bowl winner in 2013.
• Marshawn Kneeland: Linebacker who played for the Dallas Cowboys this season.
• D. D. Lewis: Hall of Fame running back; Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys in 1972 and 1978.

ATHLETICS

• Shewarge Alene: 2025 Stockholm Marathon winner who collapsed during training.
• Ming Campbell (Ming the Flying Scotsman): Represented Great Britain at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics; later a member of Parliament and Liberal Democrat leader from 2006 to 2007.
• Terence Higgins: British sprinter who competed in the 1948 and 1952 Olympics; silver in relay at the 1950 British Empire Games.
• Thelma Hopkins: Northern Irish high jumper who won Olympic silver in 1956.
• Maeve Kyle: Irish hockey international and multi-sport Olympian; Ireland’s pioneering female track and field athlete.
• Alf Meakin: Member of the 1962 British relay team that won 4x100m gold at the Perth Commonwealth Games; competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

BOXING

• George Foreman: Iconic two-time heavyweight champion and 1968 Olympic champion.
• Ricky Hatton: Beloved former world champion in the light-welter and welterweight divisions.
• Don Elbaum: Hall of Fame boxing promoter and mentor.
• Andre Silva: Portuguese fighter who died in a crash; remembered across European boxing circles.
• Dick McTaggart: Olympic gold medalist (1956) and lifelong boxing figure in Britain.

CRICKET

• Dickie Bird: Legendary umpire after a long playing career with Yorkshire and Leicestershire.
• Bob Simpson: Australian great; former captain and influential coach who helped shape a golden era in cricket.
• Robin Smith: England batsman known as “Judge,” with a prolific run tally for England and Hampshire.

FOOTBALL (SOCCER)

• Colin Addison: Star of Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United; guided Hereford United through a landmark FA Cup run and into the Football League.
• Ronnie Boyce: West Ham United legend, scorer of the 1964 FA Cup final winner.
• Dinny Lowry: Long-serving goalkeeper for St Patrick’s Athletic and Ireland international; a fixture of Irish football.
• Jimmy Nicholson: Northern Ireland international who played for Manchester United and several other clubs.

GOLF

• Judy Bell: Trailblazing golf administrator; first female president of the USGA and a member of multiple halls of fame.
• Fuzzy Zoeller: Masters champion (1979) and US Open winner (1984); influential figure in American golf for decades.

HOCKEY

• Anthony Nunn: Part of Great Britain’s hockey squad that won a bronze medal in 1952.
• Imran Sherwani: Led Britain to Olympic hockey gold in 1988, scoring twice in the final.

MOTORSPORT

• Eddie Jordan: Irish Formula One team owner and later a beloved TV pundit and broadcaster.
• Ian Khan: British racer who competed across GT and touring car championships.
• Lauran O’Brien: Irish racer who competed in Autograss events and national speed championships.

PARA SPORT

• Andrew Cassell: Paralympic gold medallist (1996) known for inclusive sailing innovations.
• Anne Dunham: Dressage champion with a career spanning 23 years; won numerous Paralympic and World Championship medals.
• Mayumi Narita: Japanese swimmer who won multiple Paralympic medals across Games from 1996 to 2004.

RUGBY LEAGUE

• Peter Banner: Welsh scrum-half who earned nine caps and played for several top clubs.
• Ray French: Legendary broadcaster and former dual-code international who covered Challenge Cup finals for decades.
• Doug Laughton: Renowned coach who led Widnes to major trophies and contributed as a key figure in British rugby league.

RUGBY UNION

• Peter Brown: Scotland captain who led his country to wins over England; record points for a forward in Scottish history.
• Ian McLauchlan: Former Scotland captain, Lions veteran and central figure in rugby history.
• Geoff Wheel: Welsh lock who helped secure multiple Five Nations titles and Grand Slams.
• Meirion Roberts: Wales international center, known for leadership and skill on the field.

SNOOKER

• Geoff Foulds: Former player who later led the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association as director and chairman.

SWIMMING

• Iris Cummings Critchell: Last surviving athlete from the 1936 Berlin Games; a pioneering swimmer and war-era pilot.

TENNIS

• Angela Mortimer Barrett: Three-time Grand Slam champion and Wimbledon doubles winner; one of Britain’s tennis legends.
• Nicola Pietrangeli: Italian champion with multiple French Open finals appearances; a cornerstone of Italian tennis history.
• Fred Stolle: Australian champion with multiple Grand Slam titles in singles and doubles; a defining figure in 1960s tennis.

WRESTLING

• Buvaisar Saitiev: Russian freestyle wrestling icon, Olympic champion and six-time world champion.

Key insight: The passing of these figures reminds us that sports heroes shape communities, inspire younger generations, and leave a lasting legacy beyond the arena. Source: BBC Sport

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