Julia Ituma, great hope of Italian volleyball, died in Istanbul on Thursday on the sidelines of the Champions League semifinals that his Novara team lost to Eczacibas’ Turks, the Italian club announced.
Ituma, 18, fell from the sixth floor of her hotel room in Istanbul, according to local police, who were quoted by Turkish media.
Investigations into the causes of death of the volleyball player, whose body was transported to the forensic institute, have been initiated, the television channel Haberturk reported, citing the police.
The tragedy happened a few hours after the Champions League semi-final against Turkish team Eczacibas, which was lost 3-0 by Novara (Piedmont, north-west) on Wednesday.
According to the Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah, his body was discovered around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday in front of the hotel on the Asian side of Istanbul.
Surveillance cameras at the hotel show her returning to her room down the hall, visibly concerned, around 11pm on Wednesday evening after a long phone call.
The shocked Italian team were seen leaving the hotel late in the morning, TV channels reported.
Julia Ituma, a Nigerian and Milan-born, played in the points position and was crowned the 2021 U20 World Champion.