Tragedy struck Italian volleyball when Julia Ituma, 18, died after falling from a window in Istanbul, where her team, Igor Gorgonzola Novara, was playing the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals.
The incident, which occurred late at night in the hotel where the team was staying, is still under investigation. Ituma was one of the most promising players in the national volleyball setup when she joined Novara after leaving Club Italia.
The Turkish police, who are in charge of the investigation, have not released an official version of what happened, but it is not ruled out that the 18-year-old committed suicide, according to Italian and Turkish media.
“The club announces with deep sorrow and emotion the untimely death of Italian volleyball player Julia Ituma. The tragedy occurred in the early hours of the day and the specifics of the incident are being investigated by the Turkish police,” explained the Italian club.
The Italian Volleyball Federation, for its part, decreed a minute of silence in all matches played between Thursday and Sunday in memory of the deceased.
The young woman was born in Milan of Nigerian parents. With a height of 1.92 metres, she was considered one of the most promising players for the future.
Julia Ituma had already won silverware at underage level internationally.
