Adjei, Olympic bobsled medalist and NFL Europe player, dies

Richard Adjei, a German who won an Olympic silver medal in bobsled after playing in NFL Europe, has died. He was 37.

The international bobsled and skeleton federation said Wednesday that Adjei’s death was announced by his family. No cause of death was given.

Adjei played linebacker for the Rhein Fire in the NFL’s European competition. He also won junior world championship medals before making the German team for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Adjei teamed with pilot Thomas Florschütz to take silver in the two-man bobsled event in Vancouver.

At the 2011 worlds, Adjei won a gold medal in the four-man event with pilot Manuel Machata.

Elana Meyers Taylor, a three-time Olympic medalist from the United States, paid tribute to Adjei on her Instagram account.

“My ally in the early days of sliding when we were both just trying to figure it out,” Meyers Taylor wrote. “I am extremely grateful to have known you and have had you in my life.”

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports