Referee Veaceslav Frolov died during a match of the national men’s basketball championship between Ceadir Baschet and Gama Cahul on January 20. He was 61 and was considered one of the best basketball referees of the country.

“It seems that he had a heart attack. Veaceslav Frolov was in a good physical state. The previous stage, he refereed without problems the match between BC Soroca and Politeh Chisinau,” coordinator of the championship Valeriu Ahtiarov has told IPN.

According to Ahtiarov, the referee slipped and fell and the doctors could do nothing to save him. “It is a tragedy for the Moldovan basketball. I offer my condolences to the family. The Federation will provide all the necessary support,” said the president of the Moldovan Basketball Federation Octavian Vucol.

The encounter between Ceadir Baschet and Gama Cahul was interrupted when the score was 47-45 for Ceadir Baschet. This will be considered the final score of the game. The match formed part of the seventh stage of the National Division. Both of the teams compete for the title of champion.