Angel Pazas, a physiotherapist for the Spanish Athletics Federation, and his son died in an accident in New Zealand.

Salamanca-based physiotherapist Angel Bassas of the Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA) and his son Carlos died in a traffic accident in New Zealand.

It was announced this Friday by the RFEA and the Castilian-Leonese Federation, who explained that Bazas, who turned 55, was “once again” helping Spanish athletes at international championships.

Bassas, who had just turned 55, his son would have turned 25 next Tuesday.

Two weeks ago, he went with the cross-country team to the Bathurst World Championships (Australia) as a physio, where his son Carlos was a volunteer. To celebrate his 25th birthday, the father and son spent a few days in the Antipodes before heading to New Zealand, where the crash occurred on February 24, 2023.

Both the RFEA and the autonomous federation have expressed their deepest condolences to the family and friends of the Spanish Olympic Committee and the president of the Castilla y León regional government, Alfonso Fernández Manyuco, from Salamanca via Angel, a countryman. Bassas.

According to the federation, Bazas was responsible for physiotherapy for the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation, physiotherapist for the Spanish Olympic Committee for eight Olympic Games, director of the Olympia Curransalud Physiotherapy Department, consultant for the Royal Gymnastics Federation and the Spanish Paralympic Committee.

He has worked as a teacher and speaker, but “beyond that, he has left a mark on everyone who has crossed his path,” the association points out.

Interest in athletics

They also remember that Pazás had a great passion for “athletics” and sports, so that in his youth he competed in the triple jumper, a discipline — the triple jump — in which he became the Spanish champion both outdoors and indoors. In sub-section 23.

Later, he dedicated his life to “improving others, helping athletes recover and return to their sport with great assurance” and became “the physio many aspire to be sports physiotherapists”.

His son Carlos, who will turn 25 next Tuesday, was “interested” in athletics and followed in the footsteps of Angel Bassas, as he was already part of the RFEA as a 2nd level RFEA and Madrid confederation judge. Physiotherapist Group.