Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): The Bahraini Press Association announced on Sunday (October 22, 2017) the death of Jaafar Al-Mullah, 39, a sports journalist who passed away while exercising at a gym.

Local Bahraini Al-Bilad newspaper, for which Al-Mullah had worked as a reporter since its founding in 2008 until 2012, quoted an eyewitness at the gym saying that "the deceased was exercising on a treadmill normally and suddenly fell unconscious."

"I heard the sound of his fall, rushed to him and found him unconscious. We called the ambulance and then tried to resuscitate him and managed to restore his pulse, but it stopped again," the eyewitness added.

He further stated that "when the ambulance arrived, the paramedics tried to revive him again through the devices and recovered his pulse for a little while, but it then stopped completely and he passed away before the ambulance drove away."

Al-Mullah worked for various newspapers, including Al-Waqt, Al-Watan and Al-Bilad.

Al-Mullah was renowned through social media for his controversial views, his debates with many media professionals, and writings on various subjects.

Many journalists and athletes expressed grief over Mullah's demise.

For his part, the head of the Bahrain Press Association Adel Marzouq said that Al-Mullah departed too soon and deemed his death a great loss, while Saudi consultant and member of the Gulf Union of Sports Journalists, Khaled Al-Hussein, expressed his condolences to the sports and media community for Al-Mullah's death.

Meanwhile, the sports analyst Hani Al-Lou'lou', who was Al-Mullah's colleague for years in the sports department of Al-Bilad newspaper, wrote "to the eternal heavens my colleague and friend Jafar Al-Mullah."

The spokesman of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, Mohammed Al-Sheikh, also expressed grief over Al-Mullah's death.

The Riffa club also said they will stand for a minute of silence in their match against Isa Town team on Monday, in honor of Al-Mullah, who worked at the club's media center.

Arabic Version