What’s New

Latvian basketball player Janis Timma has died in Moscow, according to local media reports.

The 32-year-old is reported to have been found dead at the entrance of a residential building, according to Russian state news agency TASS.

Authorities have not yet released an official statement about the cause of death.

What To Know

Timma had played for several European basketball teams including VEF Riga and BK Ventspils in Latvia and Zenit Saint Petersburg and Khimki Moscow Region in Russia.

His decision to play professionally in Russia had sparked controversy at home. Latvian athletes are banned from participating in sports events in the country due to its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

“It’s something interesting to me,” he told Latvian outlet LSM in an interview in October. “[I] Thought why not give it a try?”

His decision meant that he was no longer allowed to play for Latvian national teams.

He was also previously married to Ukrainian singer and actress Anna Sedokova, with their marriage having recently ended.

Sedokova’s request for a divorce from Timma had been granted by a Moscow court on December 9, according to Russian outlet Meduza. Timma reportedly died on Monday, which was his ex-wife’s birthday.

What People Are Saying

His ex-wife Anna Sedokova released a tearful video message on Instagram in which she said that her life had been “hell” in recent years, per a translation by the Moscow Times.

She asked followers to respect her children’s privacy. Both she and Timma had children from previous relationships, according to the Moscow Times.

Zenit Saint Petersburg, a Russian team he had played for, wrote on social media to express condolences to Timma’s family and friends.

Spanish team Obradoiro CAB, who he had also once played for, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “We bid farewell with deep sorrow to Janis Timma, who was a player for Monbus Obradoiro last season. From the moment he joined the team, he gave his all for our jersey, and for that, we will always be grateful. We extend our heartfelt support to Janis Timma’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

Evgeny Bogachev, the president of basketball team Kazan UNICS who Timma had briefly played for, told TASS: “It’s a tragedy, of course – 32 years old. A young guy, a talented basketball player… Unfortunately, he didn’t play much for us. We thought we’d taken such a talented player, but he quickly left us for personal reasons. He could have played and played.”

What Happens Next

Authorities are yet to confirm Timma’s cause of death.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.