Belgium national women's sevens team coach Warren Abrahams has passed away in Nairobi at the age of 42.
Abrahams, who also coached the Wales Women's team, was coaching the Belgium team at the Safari Sevens tournament in Nairobi when he suddenly lost his life.
The Kenya Rugby Union confirmed the demise on Sunday, October 12, saying the coach passed away on Friday, October 10. KRU mourned him as a passionate professional who had a "dedication to the game".
"The Kenya Rugby Union deeply mourns the untimely demise of Warren Abrahams, Coach of the Belgium National Sevens Team, who passed away on Friday, October 10, while on tour for the 2025 Safari Sevens in Nairobi," a statement from Kenya rugby read.
The Belgian Rugby Federation also confirmed his death in a statement, saying, "Belgium Rugby is in mourning following the sudden death of Warren Abrahams, head coach of the BelSevens."
The federation also acknowledged that the death was unexpected and stated that the European nation had taken action to assist the players.
Before his demise, the South Africa-born coach had a wide-ranging career which spanned multiple countries and formats of rugby.
In November 2020, he made history when he was appointed head coach of the Wales Women's national rugby team, effectively becoming the first black national coach in Welsh rugby history.
Before joining the Wales team, he had a stint with the USA Women's Sevens team as an assistant coach, gaining international experience in elite women's rugby.
In England, he also had some time in the rugby system, particularly with the England Men’s Sevens and Harlequins’ academy and Sevens squads, where he helped develop young talent and lead teams in competitive invitational tournaments.
As far as his coaching methods, he was widely known for creating high-performance environments and promoting mental strength since he coached in several challenging environments throughout his career.
In the wake of Warren's death, the Belgium national team have since returned to their home country and are expected to receive psychological support.
