Gabriel Donoso Chile's top polo player dies in Argentina

Chile’s number one polo player, Gabriel Donoso Rosselot, died in Buenos Aires early on Friday morning from injuries sustained in an accident during training the previous weekend.

Donoso was training in the Centauros club in Buenos Aires when he fell from his horse and suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured vertebra. He was transferred to the Fleni clinic where doctors diagnosed “irreversible” brain damage.

Donoso remained in a coma for four days, surrounded by friends and family, before his death was announced at 5:45 a.m. on Friday.

“He was a great player,” said former teammate Alejandro Díaz. “He was among the top players in the world. He was a happy guy and I got to play a lot with him. This was the way he would have wanted to go: with his horse, playing polo.”

Donoso’s teammates said they had been worried about him because of a recurring problem with his vertebral column.

“I asked him about his vertebrae, because everyone who knew Gabriel knew about the problem he’d been struggling with since an accident he had playing in England in 2000. He said, ‘My vertebrae are fine. I’ve got a graze on the third one from a thump I got in Chile, but they’re fine. You know, the big guy up there has been really good to me, he’s given me a lot. I’m very thankful to God.’”

Donoso, who was 46 years old, was the only Chilean player ever to reach an eight-goal handicap, and achieved a place among the sport’s elite. He was part of the Chilean team that beat England 10-8 in the Coronation Cup in July 2004. At that tournament, Donoso was awarded the trophy for best player, presented to him by Queen Elizabeth II.

Donoso is survived by his wife and two young daughters, who live in England.