Female boxer dies following bout in South Africa

By: 10 years ago

PRETORIA, South Africa — A female boxer in South Africa has died after being in a coma for two weeks following a bout.

The ministry of sport on Tuesday said it was told that Phindile Mwelase died on Saturday at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in the capital, Pretoria. It didn’t give her age but reports said she was 31.

The ministry said Mwelase was taken to a hospital on October 10 after being knocked out in a fight.

Mwelase’s death was the third among South African sportspeople in three days. Former 800-meter world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was killed in a car crash Friday. National soccer team captain and goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was fatally shot in an apparent house robbery on Sunday.

The sports ministry said it was “a very difficult week.”