In Russia, hockey player who was 'the soul of the club' dies after being hit in the head outside a nightclub

Artem Tortochakov, a forward for the Metallurg hockey club in Abaza (Khakassia), died after a fight outside a nightclub in Abakan, RIA Novosti reports. The 37-year-old athlete died in hospital after two days in intensive care.

"Artem was not just a player, he was the soul of our club. His attitude to sports, to his family, his ability to inspire his teammates and his indomitable spirit were an example for all of us," the Abazin team's press service said in a statement.

According to the investigation, Tortochakov got into a conflict with an unknown 25-year-old man near an entertainment venue in Abakan.

The hockey player received several blows to the head and was taken to a hospital with a head injury. A case was opened under Part 4 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "Intentional infliction of serious harm to health, dangerous to human life, which caused the death of the victim through negligence."

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