The bodybuilding community is coming to terms with another painful loss. On Jan. 5, 2025, sources from The Sun reported that Kevin Notario Nunes tragically died at just 28 years old from a flesh-eating bacterial infection.
Before his death, Nunes, an ex-state-level bodybuilding champion, was taken to the hospital with excruciating pain in his thigh. Shortly after intake, he underwent emergency surgery on Christmas Day. In the Brazilian city of Ponta Porã, doctors diagnosed him with necrotizing fasciitis, a rare, aggressive infection that quickly damages and kills skin and soft tissue.
Flesh-Eating Infection Kills Bodybuilding Champ At Just 28
Nunes was intubated while medical personnel attempted to save his life. Despite the immediate care, his condition rapidly deteriorated, and he tragically passed away on Friday. His father, who is also the City councilor, Marcelino Nunes, believes his son’s ‘risky’ use of muscle-growth products caused his death.
“The pursuit of the ideal body led to the premature death of my son Kevin,” he said.
“May this case serve as a warning to those who are thinking of resorting to risky methods to enhance results.”
In light of his death, concerns have been raised about the safety of the sport. Infections can run rampant, especially when athletes use dirty needles or syringes for performance-enhancing drug use. Beyond that, continued PED use can cause health risks, as noted by legends of the sport like Lee Haney and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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Schwarzenegger recently called bodybuilding the most dangerous sport in the world. Meanwhile, Haney, an eight-time Olympia winner, urgently called for reform. He drew attention to the fact that athletes are dying younger and more often than ever before.
“Get rid of dangerous language such as “you need to be drier” which to athletes means stop drinking water. Destroying their kidneys and causing possible heart attacks. Old school bodybuilders are alive and doing well. Many in their late seventies and some eighties,” advises Lee Haney.
Nunes isn’t the only bodybuilding champion to die young. Of late, IFBB Pro Wang Kun lost his life at the tender age of 30. A spokesperson for the Anhui Provincial Bodybuilding Association said his death likely came as a result of heart issues.
These tragedies aren’t isolated events; LaMarcus Morris, a surging IFBB Pro from the Classic Physique division, recently passed away. He was only 29 years old, which sparked lively debate about the risks associated with bodybuilding.
Kevin Notario Nunes leaves behind his beautiful twin daughters. Fitness Volt extends our deepest condolences to his friends and family during this time.
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