MIAMI (Reuters) – Konstantin Koltsov, a Belarusian former professional ice hockey player and girlfriend of tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, died of an “apparent suicide,” the Miami-Dade Police Department said on Tuesday. It added that there was no evidence of foul play.
Police said in a statement sent to Reuters that they responded to a call about a man jumping from a balcony at a Miami resort on Monday.
“At approximately 12:39 a.m., Bal Harbor Police and Fire Rescue were dispatched to the St. Regis Bal Harbor Resort, 9703 Collins Avenue, in response to a report of a man jumping from a balcony,” the Miami-Dade Police Department said in a statement.
“The Miami-Dade Police Department's Homicide Bureau has responded and taken over the investigation of the apparent suicide of Konstantin Koltsov.
“There is no suspicion of wrongdoing.”
The 42-year-old former forward played for the Belarus national team in the 2002 and 2010 Olympics and spent parts of three seasons with the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins from 2003 to 2006.
The Penguins confirmed Koltsov's death and expressed their condolences to the team on social media platform X.
“The Penguins extend their deepest condolences to the family and friends of former Penguins forward Konstantin Koltsov,” the NHL team said in a statement.
Konstantin, a native of Belarus, was drafted by the Penguins in the first round of the 1999 draft and played in 144 NHL games, playing with the team from 2003 to 2006. He was a teammate of Crosby and Mario Lemieux.
Fellow Belarusian Sabalenka, world No. 2 and Australian Open champion, is in Miami for a WTA event.
The 25-year-old has not withdrawn from the Miami Open so far and was spotted on the practice court at Hard Rock Stadium on Tuesday, showing Sabalenka hard at work under the Florida sun. Posted on multiple media platforms.
With a first-round bye, she has time to decide whether to compete in Miami, with her opener not scheduled until Thursday or Friday.
If Sabalenka does not withdraw, she will face either Romania's Simona Halep, a wild card who is returning from a doping ban, or Spain's Paula Badosa.
According to People magazine, Sabalenka and Koltsov first started dating in June 2021, and she frequently posted photos of them together on her Instagram account.
“Love you @koltsov2021,” she wrote in a post that included hearts and other emojis. “Happy birthday, my love. You are my beloved, my best friend and my strongest support. May you have peace, strength, patience and health.
“I hope everything you planned comes true. I love you,” she wrote.
Koltsov also praised Sabalenka when she won her second consecutive Australian Open title in January.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Miami; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Ken Ferris)
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