Belgian sevens coach Warren Abrahams dies at Safari Sevens

Warren Abrahams, a 43 year old South African born rugby coach, died suddenly on Friday while coaching Belgium’s national women’s sevens team at the Safari Sevens tournament in Nairobi, Kenya, organizers and rugby authorities said. He collapsed at Nyayo Stadium and was attended by medical personnel before being taken to a city hospital, but the cause of death has not been disclosed.

Belgium’s rugby federation said it was in mourning and confirmed the team had withdrawn from the tournament and returned to Belgium. "Belgium Rugby is in mourning following the sudden death of Warren Abrahams, head coach of the BelSevens," the federation said, adding that "all necessary measures have been taken to best support the players and staff" and that the team will continue to receive psychological support. Kenya’s rugby union said it withheld public announcement until Abrahams’s family in South Africa had been informed and had asked that the announcement be delayed until family members arrived in Nairobi. KRU chairperson Harriet Okach noted the decision to delay the announcement to respect the family’s wishes.

Abrahams had worked across the international sevens and coaching community. He...